His Only Captive
by ScampsCute
Summary: Vaas is the pirate lord of Rook Islands. He's vicious, brutal and perilous. Did I mention that he's insane? When nine youngsters approach his island he is quick to snatch them up, but one young woman catches his eye so he keeps her for himself. Will his new distraction encourage the liberation of his hostages? And will his personal captive cease to escape? Vaas/OC tw:violence, rape
1. Chapter One - Bound

***This is a Fan Fiction intended for entertainment purposes. I do not own any of the Far Cry characters***

***WARNING. Contains strong adult language, themes and suggestions. Advisable age would be 16+***

***Thank you so much for giving this Fan Fiction a read! I hope you like it. I am open to criticism, and would like to know if this fanfic works well, so i would love it if you would ****please leave reviews, if you can, which will give me feedback on this story and help improve my writing. x Enjoy ~**

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Gagged, bound and blindfolded. Tears escaped from the hostages' stinging eyes and through the green rag coiled around there heads. Clear tears streamed down their burning cheeks like rain water on glass windows, making their skin glow red. The youngsters quivered with terror as the savage island inhibiters circled them like sharks, kicking the gritty golden sand at them with their hard army boots. They bellowed out their abrupt laughter, firing their guns into the air. The prisoners leaped in fright and screamed against their soaked rags, and they laughed again.

"L…let us go, you b..bastards!" one of them spat out, not yet gagged, trembling nervously, tunnelling his body into the soft sand, and hunching his body into a ball, dreading what sort of reaction would come next.

"What did he fucking say?" one of the islanders snapped, lifting his gun into the air. The others fell silent and bowed their heads at his presence. He scanned his narrow stony eyes at islanders and sauntered over to the young man who just bravely objected, shaking his head in aggravation and twiddling his fingers around his gun. He crouched beside the man and glared at him, holding the gun up beside his ear. The man trembled rapidly, quivering like a new born pup left alone outside in the cold breeze. His breathing was heavy and loud, and he struggled to take in a proper breath, wheezing briskly like a sick animal.

"What the fuck did you say?" he challenged, his voice was hoarse and hostile, and was enhanced with thick Spanish accent. The man pursed his lips to speak, but they trembled and no words would escape them. "Hey!" he was screaming now, his face nearly touching his. His penetrating voice emitted panic and horror to all of the captives, and the man quivered even more and sobbed – the tears flooding from his eyes and down his cheeks like a falling waterfall. "Answer me you chicken fuck! Don't try and threaten me! I'll paint the beach with your fucking brains you little shit! What the fuck did you say?!"

The sobs continued – his whole body juddering severely. He shook his head quickly, spluttering out some words, "p..p..please…"

"Spit it out you blubbering fuck! You have something to say? Fucking say it to me! Say it! Say it to fucking me!"

"Bastard! Let us…g…go!"

"Disrespect eh? I'll show you some fucking respect."

The native jumped to his feet, and leaned forward, resting the mouth of the gun on the man's dripping forehead.

"F..fuck!" he screeched, trembling and spluttering out more shaken sobs.

"Take off their fucking blindfolds! They will witness this!"

The other islanders nodded and harshly whipped the cloth from the captive's eyes and heaved the rags from their mouth, letting it hang loosely around their necks. There was eight in total –not including the man with a gun to his head- five men and three women. They were all dressed in summer clothes and two of the girls wore a skimpy golden bikini. All were drenched with salt water from the sea. They all nervously scanned around them and whimpered with dread, and glared over to the man – their eyes swelling and their bodies shuddering.

The rag was harshly removed from the whimpering man with a gun to his head. His eyes were swollen and red. He blinked quickly, trying to hold back more tears that were desperate to flood his skin.

"Now," the inhabitant with the gun on his skin said calmly "we're going to play a little game, very simple. Yeah?"

The man nodded, biting down onto his trembling lip.

"If you, can count to three, without stuttering or weeping, you may live. Fair?"

He winced, and more tears streamed from his glassy eyes.

"Ah ah, no whining remember. It's just three numbers, you know? One, two, three. It's fucking easy, yeah? Go, count for me."

The man steadied himself, gulping and breathing in and out, in and out, trying to control himself and reconcile his tears and weeps.

"Come on! Fucking count! Or I will blow your brains all over your fucking friends!"

He gulped again, trembling more. He breathed in deeply and glanced up to the islander, "One."

"Good. Two More."

His lips moved; no sound escaped. He tried again, "Two."

"One more amigo."

He smiled, panting and trembling. The man watched and rolled his eyes.

"T...th…"

The man erupted into yelps and wails; his friends sobbed also and squirmed in their ropes.

The native sighed, standing to his feet and shaking his head. "That's a disappointment. That's a fucking disappointment hermano."

He pointed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Bang. The man fell to the floor like a sack of flour, and his friends screamed and wriggled, burning their skin against the rope on their wrists. His blood sank into the sand and spread, creating a small red river that flowed towards his whimpering friends.

"Fucking bastard!" one squawked.

"Murder!" another squealed.

"Crazy fucker!"

"Hey! Shut the fuck up!" he roared back, waving his gun at them, ferocity building up in his face, the veins in his neck pulsating, "or you will end up like your blubbering friend. Shut the fuck up!"

"Vaas," another islander called.

"What!" he shrieked, nearly striking the guy in the throat.

"Don't you think we should take them up now?"

"Erm, excuse me Benny, but I call the fuckin' shots here okay! Did you fail to fuckin' notice that?" The pirate shook his head and backed away, returning to the swarm of pirates that stood beside the trembling hostages. Clicking his tongue, Vaas turned his head away from the hushed pirate and lifted is head, loudly howling at everyone, "Grab a hostage! We're taking them up."

Suddenly his attention was detained, "Wait, not that one." he barked, pointing over to one of the captives that an islander had tight hold of. The pirate had a red, frayed bandana wrapped around his mouth and his eyes were hidden with black rounded sun glasses. He suddenly froze, and his wide bulky body tensed. Vaas moseyed over to him, and snatched the captive off him, grabbing her by the arm and heaving her towards him.

"Hey don't you touch her!" one hostage screamed, struggling against the grasp of his capturer.

"Hey!" Vaas bawled back, firing his gun onto the sand near his feet, "don't fucking speak! Shut the fuck up!" He turned back to the islander, and in a sudden more relaxed tone, he said softly, "this one is a pretty sight." His huge hands cupped her face. She grimaced and flashed her rounded golden eyes away from his glance. "I will take this one." "Let's go!"

Everything about Vaas was malevolent and barbaric. His hard, callous face, and the heavy dark circles beneath his cold eyes. A fearsome scar traced from his eyebrow all the way to the back of his head – making his look a lot more startling, fiendish and unpleasant. He also had a few other smaller scars engraved on the side of his head. The sides of his head were shaved but down the middle – at the top of his skull – grew a thick black Mohawk that made him seem much more savage and despicable. Something about his thick facial hair below his mouth and on his chin, and the circular ebony piercing in his ear lobes made him more frightening. Suppose if he didn't have those features, he wouldn't be so bad.

He walked with his arm wrapped around the girl. Her damp brunette hair spiralled in tight, tatted ringlets down her back. Her blue t-shirt and black demin shorts were damp from the sea, and clung onto her skin. She shivered at his touch, and tried to free her hands from the rope, but to no avail.

"So," he chuckled "what are you youngsters doing on my island, eh? Chica? Come here to piss on my sunshine?"

"Fuck you."

"Oh!" He laughed, rocking her body with his robust arms and shaking her, "I see this one isn't just looks. She has a spark in her. Ha, fun, fucking great." "So chica, does my island please you? Did you have fun basking in my sun, and swimming in my blue sea?"

"Sorry, didn't realise that the sea and sun belonged to you."

"Ha! This one really shows no fear. You show no fuckin' fear. I'm impressed. A women who has more "balls" emblematically speaking, than her male comrades'. Fucking crazy. Me and you are going to have a swell of a time, aren't we chica?"

"You dare fucking touch her!" the same hostage spat. His capturer walloped him across the head with his gun, making him weak in the knees.

Vaas' eyes widened, and his veins throbbed, "I'm sorry but was I fuckin' speaking to you?!" he screeched, "hey! Speak again and I'll cut off your fucking tongue and feed it to the dogs!"

He squeezed the girl he was cradling and hugged her closer, still striding with his arm snaked around her waist. "So," he whispered, his warm breath grazing against her ear, "what is your name chica?"

At first she didn't respond, she glared at the floor, clenching her jaw and barring her lips tightly shut. Vaas' grip around her tightened, and she yelped quietly, her body jolting in his embrace.

"Can you just answer my fuckin' question," he warned, his voice imitating but quite sincere - compared to how he spoke to the others before - "and tell me your name sweetheart, like a good girl? Otherwise, boom. I might have to blow a bullet through your skull for being so fuckin' rude to me. Yeah? So what is your name?"

"Katerina. My...friends call me Kat."

He sniggered again, sticking out his pink tongue and grinning, glancing at his other comrades for a response.

"Katerina," he sang in a cynical manner, rolling his tongue as he spoke, "Katerina, yes, yes I think that suits you."

He chuckled roguishly and brought up his arm and stroked her on the head – as if she was his pet - curling his fingers in her wet, salty hair.

"Oh no chica, you're all wet!"

"Well you did blow up our ship."

Again he hooted, nuzzling his head playfully, and brusquely, into her neck. She flinched her head away – he gript onto her arms firmly and tugged her closer, but now lifting his head.

He glanced to his comrades, lifting his arm and pointing his finger at the girl, "I like this one," he exclaimed with wicked laughter. He pushed her in front of him and trailed behind her, keeping a tight grasp onto her arm as she stumbled up the hill. Her bare feet burrowed into the muddy ground and caught on a few bristly sticks and hard rocks. She winced and lifted her feet in the air, bobbing up and down as she shook her foot.

Vaas rested his head on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "careful, careful. Don't hurt yourself now sweetheart." His hands trailed down her waist, as he nipped at the lobe on her ear. She snapped her head away and shook him off, he chuckled under his breath, slapping his hand frivolously across her ass. She jerked into the air, and scowled, again he chortled, sticking out his tongue, pushing her forward.

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**If you have made it to the bottom of this chapter, well thank you :) I would really love to know if you thought that this chapter was good enough - was it intriguing, true to Vaas' character, etc. So, please leave a comment/review telling me your thoughts, (though please be kind). Thank you! x **


	2. Chapter Two - The Road

Vaas's men and their prisoners reached a rocky sandy road, engraved with car tracks and overrun with small grey stones and empty bullets. The lush green grass beside the road was tall and overgrown, and in it sprung wild red, green and yellow flowers and exotic plants. A flock of skittish brown deer were grazing on the thriving grass a few metres from the islanders and their captives. Suddenly their pointed brown ears twitched and their heads bolted up from the ground. Spotting the armed men they rose to their hind legs and quickly scurried away into the wild brush. From the crazy winding road raced two trucks – one being much larger and more confined than the other - and in it were more of Vaas' men. Yellow dust flew up into the air like a cloak of thick smoke and clung onto the captives, making them cough and shudder.

"Pack em' up!" Vaas ordered at full volume, swinging his arm in the air to the direction of the large truck. He still had a tight grasp onto the girl wearing the shirt and shorts, and kept his arm securely around her, observing as his men tossed the hostages abruptly into the truck, bawling brutishly at them in Spanish whilst locking their guns on them.

"Close it up, make sure it secure!" he ordered again, slowly moving backwards, towing the girl by her arms to come with him.

"Wait," she muttered, scanning to her capturer and then at the truck loaded with her susceptible friends, "am I not going with them?"

Vaas chuckled, and hugged her huskily as she stood motionless and bewildered, glaring with wide eyes at the captives who glared back at her, fighting against their taut, burning ropes. "Oh no chica," he laughed, resting his head on her shoulder, his breath grazing on her neck, "I would much prefer if you came with me. Wouldn't you? No?" Snappishly he roughly tugged her back, making her stagger and trip over her feet. He tittered silently, towing her towards the other truck, holding her firmly by her small waist. Two men were already in the back of the truck, as there was no room inside. Vaas pushed her up to the bar of the truck, lifting her into the air so she could get in. One islander, grasped her by the arm and hauled her up. Though there was no hospitality in that manner; as soon as she was half over he let go thus causing her to abruptly plummet into the car and crash on the metal surface. She let slip a tiny squeal as she fell, but quickly silenced herself. The pirates looked down to her and chuckled amongst themselves. Vaas peered up, and snapped something at them in Spanish in a severe, bitter tone, and they shut up – kicking there feet just as a child does after scolding, and twiddling their thumbs around their guns that pointed to the car floor. In one quick and powerful leap Vaas was in the truck, leaping over the metal bar like a tiger or lion, and landing perfectly and steadily on his feet. His heavy, dusted black army boots harshly hit the steel surface, and made the truck thump – causing the passengers to go off balance faintly. The girl remained on the floor in a corner, near to were Vaas stood, hugging her body and glaring at her bare feet -which now bore some small scratches- refusing to peek up at the barbaric pirates that had seized her and her friends.

The road was bumpy, and to make it worse the drivers were wild. Speeding hastily around bends and down stretching golden paths, as if they were on a race track. Somehow, these animals in the back managed to stand, resting there palms on the rusted metal sides of the truck for just a little support. But, Vaas didn't hold onto anything, and yet he remained so still, like a statue, as if the truck wasn't moving at all. His arms were tightly folded, and he mostly glared coldly at the floor of the car, and occasionally glanced up to the horizon to check where they were. The hostages were helpless. Vaulting up and down in the cars, falling onto their backs and stomachs and bruising their skin as they crashed harshly into the metal. The islanders laughed at them, mocking them as they pointed at them with their guns, as if they were ludicrous creatures in a confined zoo. Katerina tried to steady herself, struggling to grip onto the soiled metal floor of the truck or the small corroded metal walls, trying to prevent herself from bumping into Vaas' leg, petrified that he might strike her in anger, or even shoot her dead.

Katrina recoiled to the sudden sound of Vaas' sudden bark, "¡vendar los ojos de ellos!"

Inside the other truck his men nodded quickly, tugging a dark cloth from their pockets. Some hostages shuffled away as they crouched beside them. A hostage, which short black hair, sea water dripping from the small strands of his salty hair, fell to his back and booted the islander in the stomach, and he fell to his knees dropping his gun, coughing. Vaas snapped his head to his direction and screamed, punching the truck with his clenched fist. The two trucks halted suddenly, and the hostages fell forward.

"Don't touch the little fuck, I will deal with him!" he roared, swinging his body angrily out of the truck whilst one hand steadied himself on the metal surface, "Carlos get the fuck up!" he growled as he stamped over to the truck, his face burning; the veins in his neck pulsating heavily against his smouldering tanned skin, and his hands clasped into tight fists - blood dripping from his knuckles.

By this time the man had been kicked out of the truck and into the sand. He kneeled, his body calm as his glared into the dirt.

"Wanna fuck with me do you?" Vaas spat, crouching down, so his face drew close to his. The man refused to look into his burning circular orbs, or even acknowledge his infuriated face. "Hey! Look me in the fucking eye!"

The man glanced up, and strangely Vaas chuckled.

"You want to fight do you?" he teased, pulling out a sharp, jagged knife and swaying it in the air beside the man's face, which now began to drip with sweat.

He laughed, "I'll show you a fucking fight!"

Harshly his seized his wrists and slashed his knife through he frail rope, catching his skin so that blood poured onto the sand and down his arm, yet the man failed to notice. Vaas leaped to his feet, lashing the knife onto ground and stretching his neck and arms.

"Come on, if you think you're the one with the fucking dick! I'll fight you with my bare fucking hands. See what type of man you fucking are!"

The man grunted, and held up his fists and dived for the first swing. Vaas dodged swiftly. A game of cat and mouse. Vaas threw in his fracturing ruthless punch and caught him in the check. Again and again he struck. Thick red blood, seeped from the captive's lips and from his swelling purple cheek. He hit him again. His ear rang like a siren but he didn't stop trying. Again he struck him. Blood began to gush out from the corner of his eye. A strong blow to the jaw. The bleeding man scowled and quickly swung his arm towards the barren pirate. The corners of his blooded mouth stretched into a small smile, got him…or not. His eyes widened, and he noticed that Vaas had lifted his robust arm up above his head, blocking his blow. The enraged pirate viciously snarled and dashed towards him, clutching on the collar of his grey, blood stained shirt. "You got blood on my shirt you piece of fuck!" he roared with atrocious fury. Grabbing tightly onto his shirt his swung his head backwards and then quickly forwards, smashing him brutally on the head with his. Again and again and again until… he fell. He flopped to the floor like a dying fish and remained there, limp and lifeless.

One girl huddled to her friend, "You killed him!" she cried, tears flooding down her cheeks.

"Carlos," Vaas called in a much calmer tone, standing over the body, "drag this meat sack into the car, and throw me a fucking towel, or a shirt, something to wipe his foul blood off my face."

Carlos and two other pirates, jumped out of the truck and grasped onto the limbs of the body. Carlos had lobbed a red bandana to Vaas, as he began to saunter towards the other truck. After scooping up his knife he leaped back inside as his men placed the beaten body back in the truck. They then coiled a cloth around the other captive's eyes as instructed. The trucks accelerated, this time slower, and sped up the path.

Katerina glanced up to Vaas, her eyes wide and full of horror, she clenched her teeth and gulped. Blood slowly dripped from his forehead down his nose. Thick, red and horrifying. Vaas glanced down at her, clutching onto the bandana in his bleeding hand.

"Frightened are you?" he teased, lifting the bandana to his head but not yet touching his skin.

"Don't worry chica," he soothed, curling his lip into a roguish smile, "it's not my blood."

She gulped again, flashing her eyes away from him. He cackled, and dabbed the hot blood from his skin. "Do you have something you want to say Chica?"

She glanced up at him, coiling her palms around her arms, and shook her head vigorously.

"Are you sure?" He teased her, dragging out his words in an attempt to make her tremble. She shook her head again. He chuckled, stretching the corners of his mouth out wide, and then he crouched down beside her, still clutching onto the bloody bandana in his left hand. The car sped over a rock, making the vehicle jolt into the air. Katrina fell forward, nearly colliding into Vaas. Or did she knock into Vaas? An accidental blow that was out of her control. She was not on the floor, face first in the cold metal, and she did not stretch out her palms to stop herself. Her heart may have stopped at that moment, she stiffened and slowly peered up. Her face was nearly touching his, her unsteady breath hitting the skin on his face. She glared into his dark brown orbs and gulped heavily. Her lip trembled, her heart raced and her head throbbed with anxiety. Vaas glared at her, holding her by her arms with his rough hands smeared with her friend's warm blood. "Sorry," she breathed, hardly able to let the words escape her lips. He chuckled and pushed her backwards, so she was balanced again. She looked up to him with a cocked eyebrow, and he raised his in return.

"What chica? Did you expect me to hit you?" he whispered, and snickered. She swallowed her breath and he chuckled again, tracing his thumb down her cheek.

He jumped up and dabbed the blood from his knuckles. Katerina stared blankly at the orange rust on the metal, her head clouded, drawing her knees up to her stomach and stroking her fingertips on her cheek.


	3. Chapter Three - Promise

Towering black trees stretched their dark thorny arms towards each other. The rocky road waved through a grand archway, of branches and ebony leaves. The air was silent, seemed calm but felt restless. The grey grass swayed swiftly in the breeze and the moan of the wind whispered through the trees. The cars decelerated, only the artificial lights brought light to the perilous path up the steep hills. Though the night was cold and dark, the shimmering stars still glistened brightly in the sky, and the silver moon gleamed, projecting a beautiful blue glow through the trees.

Katerina peered up to the shining blue orb looking down onto her. She had lost track on how long this barbaric journey was, but the moon had not been out for long, and night had only just awoken. Vaas crouched down to her, looking up at the moon; he lent in closer to her – grazing his shoulder across her arm. His lips rested beside her ear, she shuddered at the unnerving sensation of his warm breath, and with a grin he whispered "I see I forgot to conceal your eyes." His words were discreet and chilling – like whispers of a shadow. He tilted his head to glare at her face, and her eyes snapped to his direction. "You should thank me for my gratitude," he purred "this way, you got to marvel at our moon."

Katerina now turned her head to look at him. Her eyes locked onto his for a moment, but suddenly they flashed to the ground and he released a deep chuckle. "Submissive you are not, I see."

Her eyes flashed back up to his rigid, vindictive face; parting her lips and inhaling deeply, she sternly said "no. I am not."

"That can be easily… reformed."

Her eyes widened and quickly she snapped her head away, glaring at the back of her bound hands. He chuckled and reached his fists into his back pocket.

"I'm afraid," he whispered, lifting a red rag to her eyes, "that you cannot be perceived as anything other than a captive." The cloth touched her eyes, and she gasped as he swiftly tightened the material into a not at the back of her head. His hands brushed insolently down her arms, as his hissed in her ear, "my captive." His lips burrowed into her pulsing neck, and his teeth scuffed across her velvet skin. She fidgeted in his grasp and shook her arms and shoulders vigorously. With a quiet chuckle he let go and stood up leaving her.

They reached a camp. A vast camp, overrun with savage men armed with weapons, dressed all in similar clothing – a red shirt, black army pants and grey combat boots. Perhaps a uniform of some sort? The eight captured youths in the two trucks were not the only captives here. Here a lot of men dressed in red tossed poor men and women into wooden cages, as if they were animals for the slaughter, or some were strung up by rope and attached to archways and shafts, and some were trampled and tormented, hurled into the dirt, before being herded into cages like the others.

"Right men!" Vaas called, jumping out from the truck "you know what to do with the swine."

One by one the new hostages were led through the camp, deeper and deeper inside - suffocated by the sounds of gunshots and whimpers. Two men lifted the man Vaas had had previously severely beaten, and followed the trail. Vaas stood near the entrance, watching his hostages being shoved harshly inside his camp, resting his finger on the trigger of his gun, ready for any disturbances.

"Vaas, what of this one?" Carlos, held Katerina by her arms, who wriggled in his grasp, hauling her wrists in the tight rope trying to break free. Carlos was the only one left with Vaas, and he stood in front of him waiting patiently for a response.

Vaas snapped his fingers and held out his arm, still clutching onto his gun in other hand and pointing it down to the dirt. Carlos flung the girl to him and ambled inside the camp. The girl seized the opportunity, the one second were no had hold of her. Unable to even see where she was going, she darted away, her hands still bound tightly together. Vaas laughed, catching her harshly by the arm and tugging her backwards. She yelped and squirmed in his arms.

"Where do you think you going Chica?"

"Let…me…go!" she barked, thrashing her body briskly in his arms as he laughed, and she growled irritably as she clenched her teeth.

"There she is!" Vaas screamed with laughter, lifting her squirming body into the air. She kicked her legs, and quickly shook her head endlessly, to try and remove the blindfold.

"Put me down!"

"Oh look, she's not cowering anymore!"

"Bastard!" she squealed, thrashing her body in anger.

"Okay, okay!" he snapped "Calm down now!"

"Fuck you!"

In a quick movement, Vaas dropped her tersely to the floor and crouched over her, pulling out his gun and resting the metal on her forehead. She perched herself up by her elbows, and held her breath as she sunk her teeth into her lip, shuddering at the cold metal against her skin.

"Feel that? That's my gun resting on your fucking forehead, as you lay here defenceless and blindfolded."

She gulped, and fidgeted uncomfortably in her ropes, he continued in a more bitter tone that grew with rage, "so remember Chica. You have no fucking power here! None! I'm the one with the gun, and the armed men and the muscle, okay, you have jack shit. So, remember your fucking place! Or my finger might slip and, bang! Dead. Here you do what I fucking say, when I fucking say it! So shut the fuck up!" He was screaming now – Katerina trembled, her body tense as he continued to bark viciously at her, "you're my property. You belong to me! So shut the fuck up! Do as I fucking say, and I don't wanna hear any fucking complaining or protesting. This isn't a fucking vacation anymore! It's export."

He stood up, grasping tightly onto her damp tangled hair, hauling her to her feet. She yelped, wincing at the sharp pain of her hair strands being jerked fiercely from her skull. He jerked her head towards him and hissed in her ear, "I'm sorry, is something bothering you?"

She gulped, and shaking her head she stammered, "n..no."

He chuckled, in which she stiffened. His grasp loosed from her hair, and instead he took hold of her arm and began towing her forward, towards the muffled sounds of stomping footsteps, whines and yells from drunken enraged pirates. "I'm sorry," he chuckled, "it's just looks funny, you know? Your eyes being covered like that. It amuses me, you know what I mean chica?"

"I'm afraid I don't," she replied, with her voice shaken and muted.

"Well, I guess it's just my humour then, eh?" "eh?"

She nodded her head, biting onto her inner cheek.

The sound of men laughing and howling, glass bottles clanging together echoed through the camp. Screams were now just whispers in the wind.

"Katerina! What have you done to her you bastard!" a male voice screamed, which was answered by a sharp "shut up!"

Katerina stumbled across the camp, tripping over her feet as Vaas pushed her from behind. Men whistled and howled. Vaas grinned and snaked his hands around her waist, pressing his body against her back, guiding her up a small flight of wooden stairs that were steep and uneven, up to a small hut made of wood and metal.

"Wait." He ordered, trailing around her and unlocking the rusty, red metal door, with his golden key.

He swung the door open with his index finger and cocked his eyebrow at Katerina and grinned.

"Walk forward," he ordered coldly, but she remained like stone, motionless as the breeze waved through her hair. "Do as I say," he warned. She obeyed. Slowly moving forward, carefully pointing one foot in front of the other, jumping as Vaas came behind her and grabbed onto her waist, slamming the door loudly with his foot.

"Please, I can't see…" she mumbled, trembling as Vaas traced his fingers around the borders of her face, down her neck, her chest, and across her arms.

"And does that frighten you?"

No answer parted her lips. He chuckled, and brushed his hand up her cheeks, and through her damp hair, curling her hair in his fingers. With his thumb he brushed off the blindfold and held her small chin in his fingertips. Her golden hazel eyes glared timidly at the chilling scar across his head. Her wet hair was spiralling wildly, curling messily like tree vines, and a few irritating strands clung onto the sides of her heart-shaped face. Her rounded nose was slender and slim, and her cheeks bones were high. Her bottom lip was slightly fuller than the top, but her top lip was flattering and had a defined shape to it.

She shuddered, and her lip trembled – she harshly bit down on it, in an attempt to cease it from juddering.

"You're shaking in those wet clothes, huh? Shall we get you out of them?" he teased.

Her eye brows fell, and arched over her eyes, "fuck you!" she spat, quaking as she spoke.

"Even after our little chat you persist on making a fool's decision. Looks like you're going to be a tough one to break."

Gripping tightly onto her chin, he bowed his head towards her. She recoiled but his lips lavished hers, his teeth tugging on her rouged lips crudely like an animal. Her lips parted a little as she stumbled backwards towards the wall of the shack, smashing her fists into his shoulder. He grinned, and seized the chance, rushing his tongue to inside her mouth. Suddenly he darted backwards, exploding into a deep, threating growl, stamping his combat boot angrily onto the wooden floorboards making them creek. His finger rushed up to his face, red drops of blood began to trickling from his lips. He chuckled, stepping back onto to the back of his heels as he glanced down at his fingers that were doused with his blood.

"Wow! Did you really just bite me?"

She straightened her back, flicking the hair from her face and out of her eyes. "Untie me," she ordered, breathing heavily, clenching her jaw, "and Vaas I warn you…" he voice was low and solemn "you can strike fear into me, hurt me, hurt my friends; try and destroy me. But know, I will fight. I will protest. And I will not let you easily overcome me. This I promise you."


	4. Chapter Four - Know Your Place

"Wow, I mean wow."

Vaas stuck out his tongue, laughing, and looked around the shack, brushing his fingertips through his thick ebony Mohawk. He pulled out a cigar and a match, placed the cigar in his mouth at set it ablaze, holding it between his fingertips. He inhaled deeply, and withdrew the cigar from his lips, blowing out a thick cloud of grey smoke.

"You know," he chocked, blowing out more smoke, "I admire your courage, your lack of regard to physical fear."

He ambled towards her, laughing, bringing the cigar up to his lips and holding it there. He then took out a knife and held it on her skin. She flinched at the ice metal clawing at her, but locked her heavy glance on his face and said nothing, firmly bolting her lips together. Slowly he traced the cold knife down her chest, gentle enough not to pierce her skin, and then in between her breast. Here she struggled, shifting nervously, and grimacing at the touch. He grinned and trailed it down further, slicing the blade across the fabric of her wet blue shirt. The fabric tore easily, and Vaas grinned ripping it off her body. She shivered and jolted backwards, but Vaas clutched onto her arm and held her steady, surveying her with his stone eyes. His eyebrow raised, his eyes scanning her like a painting, a work of art for people to view at their leisure. With a grin, he placed his jagged dagger back in a black sheath attached to his pants.

"Well," he hummed, "I like what see." He removed the cigar from his lips and held it between his fingertips in his other hand.

"Fuck you!" she spat.

His clasp grew coarser, his blunt fingernails quarrying in her skin. In pain she bit her lip, and tensed her body, shuddering from his spiteful touch. "Just because I said I admire your words of courage does not mean you can get away with speaking to me in such manner! But, I'm a reasonable guy, I'll let this one pass, once!" he growled, his fierce eyes burning into her skin - she glanced up with anxiety, her eyes glassy and shiny, "Once!" he continued, bitterly jerking her closer, his expression cold and serious and cruel, "Which means, no more petty persistence, and aggravating assertions. Know your fucking place! I want respect, so I will get it, got it?" He jerked her body again, making his harsh hold even more brutal and agonizing, by tightening his grip. This time she winced, and yelped soundlessly, fighting the tears that yearned to escape from her stinging eyes.

She nodded her head rapidly, choking on her muffled whines, his head drew closer as he cocked an eyebrow, "what?" he barked - his livid face beside hers. She was glaring at his boots. The black boots, dark and ireful. Dusted with white sand and blood. She shivered to the sight, and choked more on her hidden cries. He shook her, slapping her suddenly on the arm. "Use your fucking words!" he snapped, taking one small step closer to her. Her lip trembled as she moved them, but only air would depart.

"Hey!" he barked, making her jump, "I don't have all fucking day. So fucking answer me!"

Her eyes tightened as tears flooded from them and down her cheeks, and as she cried silently her knees wobbled and her body arched. Still he had a tight hold onto her.

"Fuck!" he snapped, "Hey!"

Tilting her head away she continued to weep, though they were slightly louder and more filled with dread – the sound of a pup away from its mother. She didn't want to cry. She really didn't. She wished she could be strong, a true fighter. Strong enough physically to break free from this wretched nightmare, and strong enough mentally not to crumble into a whimpering sheep that cowered in a dark cold corner. He shook her again.

"Hey!" he roared, and then he concealed his palm against her mouth, she gasped and whined, grasping onto his rough hand as he pressed it harshly against her lips, "stop fucking crying!"

She straightened her back, looking gingerly into his dark eyes, and sniffled, swallowing any cries that strived to escape. She concentrated on her breathing, so that the trembles would stop. Her heart beat -that was a minute ago, thumbing quickly against her chest - slowed. It relaxed her, and finally she could breathe properly again. Yet, Vaas still retained a wrathful mien that startled her if she was to look at it for too long, and his palm still concealed her lips.

In nothing more than sheer gallantry, she coiled her slim fingers around his large hand and lowered it smoothly and slowly, detaching it from her lips. To her surprise, he did nothing against it, but stare in confusion and curiosity.

"I'm sorry," she whispered calmly, boldly glaring into his chary eyes, "Yes, I understand you."

His eyes assessed her face, his lips slightly parted as his eyebrow raised and his head further away than it was before. One hand, slid into the pocket of his pants, and the other brought his burning cigar to his lips – first tapping it so that the singed ends would crumble and flutter to the floor. He inhaled, then lowered the cigar and blew out a cloud of smoke that clung onto Katerina's wet skin. She grimaced, coughing, snapping her head in another direction, avoiding the suffocating smoke he was aiming at her. He snickered once under his breath and brought the cigar back to his mouth.

Katerina bowed her head, burying it into her chest, but her body remained motionless, as if she was a statue for him to marvel at. Her eyes flashed to her bound hands, and she sighed, chewing the inside of her cheek. She could see the red, inflamed marks beneath the rope where she had struggled, and she smiled at it. She was proud to see that she had made an effort, some effort to escape that had an effect.

Slam! Her head shot up, and searched the room. Vaas was not there. The dark, red rusted door was shut, and to her disappointment she heard the key turn, thus locking it. She hadn't looked around before, so now was her chance. Where was she? In a corner, besides the door was damaged wooden desk, flooded with papers, glass bottles and bullets. The wood on the desk was ruined – being the victim of many knife attacks. The wooden chair beside it wasn't in good shape either, frail and thin, as if it was whittled with a blade by someone who was jaded or aggravated. There were many glass bottles, all empty, with not a drop of fluid inside them. _Probably contained alcohol_, Katerina thought as she peered around the cold dim room. To the far corner, close to where Katerina was standing, was a bed. It was quite small – stuffed with straw and had a red blanket tossed over the top of it. In these conditions, in this dreadful place, having a bed was probably a luxury. That was when her eyes widened, as if she had seen a monster, or felt a frightening ghost tap her on the shoulder and whisper in her ear. _Was this? No, couldn't be… but what if? _Katerina slunk to the floor, her eyes still wide, her lips parted, and her face in shock. She gulped, and scratched her wrist nervously, biting anxiously on her lip. _Does this room belong to Vaas? _She thought herself, glancing over to the bed and shuddering to the thought of him lounging there. _It must be his room. Who else would be occupying here?_ _Oh god! I hope it isn't. _Her eyes scanned the room, looking for clues. Maps and documents were scattered around the room, and were stuck randomly on walls with a rusty grey pin. There was a small chipped wooden wardrobe, with the door left ajar, and inside… inside were copies of the same red, low-cut vest Vaas had worn, and two more pairs of combat boots and another pair of army pants. Now she knew. She was in the same room that Vaas slept, worked, ate and… she shuddered, not wanting to imagine what other affairs most likely occurred in this horrid place. _Why he is keeping me here?_ Katerina thought, her head buried in her arms, _why didn't I go with the others, with the other girls? What does he find so fascinating about me, to keep me for himself? I tremble to the thought of what he could…_

Disrupting Katerina from her thoughts, the door swung open. She snapped her head up to look, and quivered, bringing her knees up to her chest and squeezing onto them tightly. In the doorway stood a dark, tall, terrifying figure, and from the figure, blood dripped loudly onto the floor.


	5. Chapter Five - A Little Lesson

The captive struggled in his ropes, his eyes anxiously scanning around the camp from the small, wooden cage he was confined in. His blindfold was removed once he was tossed in here, though frantically inspecting the surrounding didn't do much good, as the area was too sheltered and it was too dark to see anything of use. His hands were strung up above his head, onto the cage bars, and were tied in tight, maiming knots around his wrists.

"Fuck!" he stammered, as he tugged his wrists, grunting under his breath as he tried to move.

"Grant!" he whispered sharply, "Grant! Wake up!"

The man opposite him, lobbed in the same cage, was also bound to the cage walls. His red t-shirt was doused in dry blood that had been dripping from his swollen face. He winced at the sight. Purple swollen eyes, and a battered, bloody lip. His cheek was badly bruised too – swollen and discoloured - and he had several bruises and grazes flecked on his face. His hands were bound above his head, and his head bowed from exhaustion. He wasn't a small man, he was heavily built and had huge, robust arms and a tight chest. Obliviously someone who kept in shape, and still Vaas had beaten him up to this extent, exiting the scrap without a single scratch.

"Grant," he called again.

The man lifted his head, and partly opened his red, enflamed eye and looked around him, glancing up at his ropes. He went to yell but his mouth was concealed with tape. He struggled brutishly against his ropes, bellowing out muffled groans as he rattled.

"Grant, what are we going to do?" the other man blubbered, imitating Grant's moves and hauling his arms some more.

Then Grant stopped and kicked his feet, snapping his head to the left. The captive gulped, ceasing his brisk movements, and glancing over to the direction indicated.

He gript tightly onto his ropes, barring his lips shut. A fearsome brute, strode over to them, flicking a burnt cigar from his fingertips and laughing wickedly as he glanced at the two male hostages bound in the wooden cages. He came closer, snapping the sweat from his brow, and then quickly brushing his fingertips up his startling scar that went to the back of his head. He chuckled again, now closer, crouching like an animal outside the cage.

From his pocket he pulled out a phone and shook it in the air, "I have no fucking idea," he snickered, switching on the device, "how this phone survived the brutal sea."

He traced the screen with his thumb, scrolling through hidden photos and videos. His head snapped up to look at the two hostages. Vaas grinned, lifting his hand and pointing at them with his index finger. "So what do you have here? Jason?" he queried with amusement; he whistled and swung his finger over to the other captive, who scowled at him angrily, "and Grant? Correct? California boys, eh?" He chuckled, waving the phone in his hand. "Amigo," he sighed, glaring at Grant's bruised cheek with severe stony eyes, "you look like shit." He laughed, and glanced back down at the phone, and snapped, "Seriously though, you look like fucking shit." "This is a nice phone." He glanced over to Jason, who froze and burrowed his fingernails into his taut ropes, "I like this fucking phone!" He chuckled again - the corners of his mouth stretching wide as his deep crackled laughter echoed in the air – and his head snapped down again, fixated on the phone he held loosely in his palm. "Let's hope," he sang "that mummy and daddy have some pretty papers in their pockets. Meaning a lot of money, because you white boys look expensive, and I like… expensive things." He looked up coldly at Jason, lifting the phone in the air, "I'm going to keep this," he declared, laughing and standing to his feet.

Grant struggled in his ropes, and growled against the grey tape. Vaas scowled and flashed to the wooden bars, grasping onto the wood and pressing his face up against it in fury.

"What!" he roared, "What are you fucking saying? Hey! You fuck! Shut your mouth; I will fucking kill you! I will bask in your blood and then, then I will fucking slaughter your blubbering brother! No, no, no, no, I will kill your brother first! And you can fucking watch defensively as I plunged my knife into his pink, fleshly skin! Then I will get your fucking blond whore over there!" He pointed behind him; Grant continued to struggle, his face boiling, "and I will fucking murder her right after I fucked her in front of you!" Vaas was screaming now, other captives cowered at the penetrating thunder of his incensed voice, "Hey! Look me in the fucking eye! Your my bitch! I rule this fucking kindom! Shut the fuck up, or you die!"

"Oh my god," Jason whimpered, fidgeting nervously in his ropes. Vaas looked over to him, his hands locked in fists, his body like stone and boiling like a kettle ready to explode.

"What Jason? What?" he tapped his head chaotically, and fell to his knees clutching onto the wooden bars beside Jason, "what is this not fun anymore? Have I failed to entertain you? Are you not having a terrific fucking time? Tell me! Tell me! What am I doing wrong? What?" he laughed, his deep chaotic cackle sending shivers up Jason's skin, but Vaas suddenly turned more relaxed, like a completely different person had sprung from his frenzied body, "What? Do you not like your luxury hotel? I think it's pretty nice. You know, I thought I was being kind, you know, the virtuous kind of guy. Looking after you, placing you boys on the pretty soft green grass, instead of the hard dry dirt that them sorry fucks are sleeping on!" He snapped his hand behind him, indicating to more captives that were packed inside a pen in the dirt, "And what? Do I get a thank you Vaas? Some appreciation, for my… what do I call it? Humanity." His hard, feral eyes widened, and scowled into Jason's timid blue eyes for the first time. He sucked his teeth and shook his head, laughing, and mounting to his feet.

Piercing screams of terror echoed through the camp. Vaas stamped his foot angrily, kicking dirt into the air. "Does he not know when to shut the fuck up!" he roared, the veins in his neck pounding against his skin as he spun around. "You know what, bring the penitent fuck to me."

He raced back to the cage, laughing as he glared ardently at Jason, "I'm going to show you fucks something!" He laughed and skipped merrily to the blubbering man who had been dragged to Vaas' feet. He brought up his hands and pleaded, "please! Please don't kill me!"

He chuckled, brushing his hands through his thick hair. "Oh, I wont… not yet anyway."

Vaas twirled his body around to face Jason and Grant, the whimpering man on his knees behind him - a rope coiled around his neck with a pirate holding the other end. Playfully, Vaas brought out a knife and twisted it in his fingers. "This blubbering fuck," he announced, kicking the crying man with his boot, making him squeal, "never shuts the fuck up! I mean, it's fucking annoying! And you think breaking a man brutally until he can barely stand on his own two paws would hinder it. No, no, no, no please, apparently that doesn't work." Jason swallowed his breath and peered over to the man that sobbed on the ground. His face was badly beaten, purple, and swollen, and flooded with scars. It seemed deformed. Crooked, red and broken. How could he take it? Grant was no were near as beaten and enflamed as the deprived whimpering casualty, that submerged himself into the dirt.

"It gives me a headache," Vaas growled, pacing up and down, in front of his crying hostage, "I don't think you understand! It drives me fucking crazy! The screams! The fucking cries! It's okay, it's fine, I'll chill, I'll chill." He clenched onto his knife tightly and kicked his foot angrily, making the unfortunate hostage jump and whimper some more. "No! You know, I won't!" he barked viciously, spinning around and clobbering the poor man in the face with his boot. He plummeted to the floor like a bag of meat, and whined, burrowing his bleeding face into the dirt. Fiercely Vaas seized his hair, clutching onto to it harshly, and yanking him abruptly to his knees. "Here's a little lesson for you Jason, it's simple. Imagine your back in school, eh? The moral to this story kids is... do what Vaas says. Do every fuckin' thing I say, or..." Locking his fierce eyes onto Jason, Vaas snatched the man's chin and heaved it open. The man screamed; another pirate rushed to him, securing him by his shoulders. He slowly took the knife and traced it across his tongue, so it bled lightly. Tears flooded from the man's swollen eyes and his howls became more loud and distressing. Vaas scowled, and forced the blade through his fleshy, red tongue, and sliced it quickly. The tearing sound of flesh being ripped from his mouth made Jason quiver, as sweat accumulated on his brow. Blood spurted from the hostages mouth as he fell forward, chocking on the thick, sickening blood that flooded from his mouth, down his chin and neck. He coughed, spraying blood into the air. In disgust, Vaas tossed his fleshly tongue on the dirt and grimaced. He scowled and kicked the man backwards so he fell on his back, flopping like a fish out of water, still heaving and chocking on his own blood. He growled and took out his gun, "You little fuck! Look! You got blood on my shoes you motherfucker!" He perched over him, pointing the gun at his juddering body. He cocked his eyebrow and chillingly hissed "Was it worth it?"

He shot him five times in the stomach before his body stopped moving. He stood there, looking at him, blood dripping from his hand. "I'm sorry," he sighed, kicking the dead man with his boot, "I couldn't sell you like that, so… I had to kill you. No hard feeling?"

"You said you wouldn't kill him!" Jason cried, suddenly aware of what he said, he silenced himself, and glared at the floor.

"I lied," Vass laughed calmly. He shoved his gun back in his dark brown holster and examined himself. "Fuck!" he bawled, raising his arms in the air, "The motherfucker got blood all fucking over me! Fuck! Fucking Asshole!"

His head snapped up to Jason and Grant and he laughed, swaying his finger at them, "I'm gonna relax, Jason, i'm going chill, because you, moi, and your tough guy brother are going to have a lot of fun together while we wait for the money. Fuckin' exciting, eh?" He snickered, spinning around, kicking his feet and waving his hand as he sang, "Ta ta, bye, bye!"

Still chuckling corruptly he marched away into the darkness. The gruesome body was left in a pool of blood in the dirt. Other pirates ambled away, laughing and playfully taunting each other. Jason looked over to his brother for support. His pale emerald eyes were sympathetic, and scanned away from the body and up to Jason.

"Grant," Jason chocked, his lip trembling, "Grant, how on earth, are we getting out of here?"


	6. Chapter Six - Splatters of Blood

The dark figure stood motionless in the doorway. The air was silent; the sound of blood dripping onto the floorboards echoed in the dim room. Katerina, shuddered, and drew her knees closer to her chest. Her body jerked, to the thud of the slamming door.

"There is, a light in here, you know that?" the figure chuckled, flicking a switch on the wall, "or was you afraid of moving?" Vaas stood by the door, tittering to himself whilst leaning on wall, glaring at his captive that sat frozen on the floor. He glanced down at his hand and grimaced, sauntering over to the wardrobe, near to were Katerina was left. Her wary eyes followed him, her breath heavy.

Blood trickled from his palm. It was smeared on his boots, his trousers, his red top, and his skin - on his arm and on his neck. She trembled to sight of it, it alarmed her. She had already witnessed the dreadful torments that he was willing to inflict on her friend. What else was this ferocious pirate capable of? What other despicable crimes was he willing to commit?

From the wardrobe he pulled out a grey towel, stained with splashes of blood, and used it to wipe his hand but he grunted and kicked his feet. He sauntered over to his desk, his boots dragging heavily across the floorboards, and reached for the cabinet that was above it. From that he grabbed a bottle, with clear fluid inside. Placing the towel on his desk he began unscrewing the cap; Katerina winced, taken back the strong scent. _What type of alcohol is that?_ She thought to herself, _Fuck, that's strong. I desperately hope that whatever is in that glass bottle, is nothing to him, and hardly takes effect._ She gulped to the thought. If he was bad enough when sober, how much worse would he become when intoxicated? She glared at him anxiously, hoping that the lethal bottle would never touch his lips. He rolled eyes and tipped the bottle, and small amount of the fluid splashed onto his hand and onto the floor. Katerina winced again, at the burning strong smell of alcohol that drifted in the air. The blood appeared to evaporate off his hand; Katerina gazed in wonder. First slamming the bottle on the table, he took the towel and wiped his hand clean. "Why the fuck did waste that?" he muttered to himself, lobbing the towel on the table and calmly strolling back towards the wardrobe - standing in front of it, with the broken doors ajar.

With his back to her, he flicked off the two grey cotton belts that were coiled around his shoulders, onto the floor. He then unfastened the belt around his waist and dropped it beside his feet. It crashed loudly when it hit the wood due to the heavy metal weapons crammed inside the holsters. His fingers coiled around the edge of his blood-stained top, and then he hauled the red top over his head, chucking it behind him, close to wear Katerina was siting. She glanced up at him. Her eyebrow raised; she was intrigued, noticing he had minor burns on the upper part of his body – near his shoulder and on his bicep. His skin was a canvas for several scars – she saw them on his back and on his arm. His upper body was wide, strong and robust, and even his back was muscular. Tightly wrapped around his upper bicep, near his shoulder on his right arm, was a red bandage. He had another bandage, though this one was white, swathed around his hand and wrist on the same arm, and on his wrist, on his other arm, was thick, embroidered brown leather bracelet.

With another red tank top in his hand, he whirled his body around, tilting his head at Katerina with hilarity. Hastily she flashed her head away, and glared intently at the cracks in the floorboard, not taking the risk to peer up at him.

He chuckled, "were you eyeing me, Chica? What? Do I arouse you?"

She said nothing; did nothing, but stare distantly at the wood of the shack.

"Hey," he purred softly, stepping closer, and as he did the floorboards creaked, which got her attention, but she still refused to move her head. "Hey," he repeated, "look at me." "Look at me."

Taking a breath her hazel eyes wandered, and slowly peered up to look upon him. Her head followed, slowly rotating towards him. She looked up. His body was well-built, strong and impeccable. Looped around his neck were two necklaces that hung loosely above his chest – one made from rope, and the other from embroidered black leather. His chest and stomach also had a few minor scars incised on his skin. What was the cause for the countless number of scars scored into him? How long had he had them? It made he look more savage, wild and brutal, and from the scars, she definitely knew he was not one that you would likely irate for a response, as you soon come to regret it. She glanced at his body again - considering that he never really concealed his figure, she wasn't surprised on how immaculate it was.

Forgetting who she was looking upon, she flashed her eyes away and withdrew her glance back to the floorboards. "Tut-tut," he snapped, and she peered up again, more timid and apprehensive. He glanced down to his chest and sighed, snapping his fingers he tersely barked, "Bring me the towel."

Warily she glanced over to the towel, and then back at him, her body unwilling to move.

"I'm waiting," he warned, glaring at her with impatient eyes whilst tapping his boot on the creaky floorboards.

Shakily, she rose, stumbling over her bare feet as she hobbled restlessly over to the towel. She lifted it awkwardly with both hands – as her hands were still bound – and shambled over to Vaas, stretching out her arms to give him the towel, her glassy eyes bolted on the floor.

"Look at me." He ordered with a sigh.

Biting onto her trembling lip, her eyes peered up at him. She slouched, her shoulders hunched to her neck. She glared at him nervously, awaiting his next cold command.

"You can wipe it off me."

"Sorry?" she croaked, gulping and lowering the towel.

"I said, you can wipe the blood off of me. Is that too hard for you to do?"

She barred her lip and shook her head, timidly taking one step closer to his bare, blood-soaked chest. He stood straight and studied her, waiting. Gnawing at her lip, she stretched her arm out and delicately brushed the towel over his torso, were blood had been splatted on his skin. Slowly she trailed the towel from his chest down his stomach – he inhaled deeply and slowly as the towel trailed down his torso, her delicate, slender fingers grazing against his coarse, searing skin. Glancing up, she quickly snapped her head and arm away, holding the towel apprehensively beside her legs. "Done," she muttered, glaring attentively at the blood speckled on his boots.

His finger snatched her chin, and he slowly lifted it. "What?" he whispered, glaring deeply into her frightened hazel eyes.

"It done," she croaked, coughing on her perturbed breath.

He snickered, "I forgot I left you in such a state, are you cold?"

She shook her head. She was lying, of course, she was freezing; her body was shuddering. She had been abandoned in a dark, icy shack with her hands bound, with damp hair that brusquely clung to her back and neck, wearing only a bra and heavy demin shorts that were drenched from the sea.

He cocked his eyebrow, and she shook her head again, rapidly. But then her body deceived her and she shuddered, Goosebumps emerging from her skin.

"Ha! You undeniably fucking lying to me Chica, you're shaking. You know, I don't really like it when I am being deceived."

She gulped, her lip quivering. He sighed, "Well," he said, the corners of his mouth stretching to a depraved grin, "if you say you're cold, then I will do nothing about it. So, I hope when I return here, I can saunter in, discovering that you haven't stolen… the snug, soft blanket on my bed for example. Because, you just told me that you're not cold."

He laughed, and scanned her face and body with his thin hazel eyes. His hands trailed to her wrists, she flinched, barring her lips together. His eyebrows lowered as he examined her skin. Making her jerk he snatched the blood stained towel from her grasp and lobbed it behind him. She studied him with uncertainty as he strode back to the wardrobe – hauling the cleaner red tank top over his head. He quickly bent down, scooping up the two cotton straps and winding it around his shoulder, and then securing the belt, which contained his weapons, around his waist.

His head flashed to the door, and suddenly a panting islander rushed in, standing at the doorway trying to catch his breath.

"Have you ever heard of fucking knocking?" Vaas spat as he calmly ambled over the table.

"Sorry Vaas," he replied quickly, "but we kina got a small… well, um, problem boss."

Placing his hands on his hips and clicking his tongue, he snapped angrily, "what!"

"I'm sorry Vaas, but first it wasn't me. Anyway, well… the two hostages you were speaking to before they've erm…"

"Don't fucking say Carlos! If you fucking say it!"

"They've escaped."

"Fuck!" Vaas exploded into a fearsome rage, snatching the glass bottle and launching it towards the wall, and angrily kicking the chair across the room. The glass shattered, the pieces of glass flying across the shack; the alcohol dripping from the wall onto the floor. Katerina had fell to the floor, concealing her head with her arm, quivering to the roaring thunder of his infuriated roar and the loud vibration of objects breaking and harshly hitting the walls and floors.

"Fucking cocksucker!" he bawled, drawing out his gun and charging past Carlos who stood still beside the door, glaring at the floor.

"Lock the fucking door!" Vaas bellowed back, tossing Carlos his golden key.

The door slammed shut, and it suddenly fell dark. Katerina hugged her body, unable to stop the petrified whimpers from leaving her trembling lips. Sobbing, with her back to the wall, she nestled her head in her knees, trying to block out the fearsome screams of rage and the menacing, penetrating explosions of gun shots that crackled in the air.


	7. Chapter Seven - A Chance

"Come on Kat, pull yourself together." Katerina whispered to herself, brushing her wet eyelids on her arm. Glaring at the door she slowly rose, stumbling once on her feet. She took one step, and yelped quietly, falling back onto her back. She lifted her foot, blood trickled across her toes, were a small shard of glass had pierced her skin. "Fuck!" she spat, hovering her fingertips over the glass. _Come on, just fucking pull it, it's only a piece of glass._

Clenching her teeth she yanked the glass out, biting on her lips once it was free. Her eyes scanned the floors, the walls for anything. There, beside the wardrobe was a window, small and square shaped, with the bright moonlight shining through it. She laughed in relief, shuffling over to the wardrobe. She stretched her arms up to reach it, jumping in the air. But she couldn't reach it. Beside her feet, was the chair, the chair that Vaas had lobbed in frustration. She glared at it, then at the window then at the door. She had to get away. Why would she stay? She could stay, but for what? Vaas may not kill her now, but he would surely eventually grow bored of her, and end his tedium by putting a bullet through her skull. She shook her head angrily to the thought, _No_! She mused, _no, I'm leaving this horrific place. _

She picked up the chair, pushing it with her arms, and quickly positioned it directly below the window, checking the door. She watched it restlessly, expecting Vaas to barge in unexpectedly and… she shook her, _no, no, nothing is going to happen. Nothing is going to happen because I am escaping this. _

Punching the rigid window with her fist she managed to get it open. She checked the door one final time and bit her lip, grasping onto the edge of the window with her fingertips and hauling herself up - her bare feet scrambling up the walls, and her arms resting on the edge. Half of her body was out. Inspecting her surrounding she breathed in and out quickly, then held her breath, using her arms to haul herself from the window. Bang. Her body collapsed harshly on the ground, her head in the dirt. Staying hidden on the floor, she checked around her, scanning every direction swiftly. She shuffled over to a rock, it was sharp and rigid. Still checking her surrounding, quickly she placed her wrists on the rock and rapidly moved her wrists back and forth, cutting the rope until it was free from her skin.

She shook her hands and slunk towards a boulder. She hid behind it, listening to the whispers of the pirates.

"Well, where the fuck did they go!" one screamed. His voice was so shrill, and so brash that you couldn't hear the other pirates. Their words were sheer whispers of child, compared to this enraged man. She listened intently. "Well go!" he snapped, his voice riled and agitated, "Look for them you useless fuck! Do you think this is a fucking game? Go!"

"Fuck!" she said silently, checking around her. She knew who it was, who it only could be, Vaas, which meant that he wasn't too far away.

_Come on Kat, move your fucking feet. _Her head peered discreetly around the boulder. Vaas wasn't there, but two other pirates were. They were close. She took a small step, to peer some more. Snap!

"Shit!"

With her foot, she crushed a twig accidently; knowing it may have been heard she darted back to the boulder and pressed her body up against, remaining still.

"Did you hear that?" one asked.

"Go and check it out then!" the other replied.

His boots crashed against the hard dirt as he walked. Katerina concealed her mouth with her palm. Her eyes widened as the pirate emerged from behind the rock. She held her breath, her lips trembling against her skin. He hadn't seen her. Could she risk it?

The pirate gawked at the bush opposite her, blind to what lay behind him. She moved slowly, her eyes locked on him.

"I'm going!" the other pirate called, "you stay here."

"Whatever!" The pirate hollered back turning around. Katerina froze, still as ice.

"Hey!" he called rushing towards her.

She jumped up to run, but he caught her, snatching her leg and hauling her down. He crouched on top of her, trying to grasp her wrists as she struggled against his grasp.

"Get the fuck off me!" she barked, striking the pirate in the eyes with her fist. Had she really just done that? He grunted and rushed his hand to his face. Seizing her chance she flipped her body over and wriggled away.

"Fucking whore!" he screamed, towing her back. Her nails clawed the ground as she growled, abruptly kicking her feet and lurching her body. Her spun her around, and snickered drawing out a knife and swaying it above her head. She hissed, clawing her fingers across his face. He responded with a sharp strike to her cheek. She shook her head, her cheek burning and throbbing. Her heart pounded against her chest, and her body juddered with anger and her skin boiled. She smashed her fists against him chaotically, howling angrily, and somehow knocked the blade from his fingertips. His head fell to her neck, and she ripped his jaw with her teeth. She scrambled away, blood dripping from her mouth, and dived to the dagger that had been tossed in the mud.

She felt him touch her leg, and with a growl she swiftly swivelled her body around, plunging the blade into his neck. He coughed, blood spurting from his mouth. He looked at her and fell like a sack of flour, face first into the dirt.

She backed away from him, her hands trembling vigorously. "Fuck! Fuck!" she muttered, tightly grasping onto her hair with her fingers, "fuck I killed him. No, no, I fucking killed him. Fuck!" Still shaking, her fingers darted to her mouth, and she trembled even more as she looked down at the blood that flooded her hand. "Fuck!" she bawled, wiping the blood rapidly from her mouth, gaging once she acknowledged what she had just done. Her hands continued to quake. "Fucking hell!" she stammered, as she snatched the loaded gun from the dead pirate's body.

With the gun her in her hand she quickly glided into a lake of green in front of her that led through a part of the camp. She could skulk through here and go unnoticed, as if she was invisible. She snivelled, _what was that?_ She thought, scanning around her. Then, she realised that it was coming from the shrub. _Wait,_ she stopped at glared at the plant, her eyebrow arched, _Weed? What… so these assholes are drug smugglers too. Of course._ She rolled her eyes and continued to move forward, _well, at least they're useful for something. They're keeping me unseen. _

She reached the end of the long, lake of forbidden shrubs and stopped, falling backwards, dropping the gun on the floor. Her hand concealed her mouth and her eyes expanded. Vaas stood a few feet away, his gun pointing to the dirt. He stood beside the steps of a shack, near a cage packed with whimpering girls. Katerina squinted her eyes, but she couldn't make out anything else, as nearly everything was shrouded in darkness. Vaas listened intensively to one of the pirates, though he wasn't looking at him. He scowled and whipped his head to Katerina's direction. She quickly slunk further inside the plants. His dark narrow eyes scanned the area and gazed at the forest of illegal herbs before looking away.

Eventually he marched into the darkness, firing his gun in the air with his lapdogs trailing behind him. Katerina exhaled and relaxed her shoulders. Her eyes flashed back to the cage. _Come on Soph', are you there?_

Grabbing the gun, swiftly she slunk closer to the cage. There was no guards around, so she quickly darted to it, grasping onto the bars.

"Sophia!" she whispered. All the girls wailed into their knees, swaying their trembling bodies back and forth, oblivious that she was standing outside. A quivering girl in a golden bikini, with damp, long blond hair that waved messily down her back snapped her head up and scanned around. Catching sight of Katerina she gasped and rushed to the bars, clutching onto Katerina's hand and whimpering, tears streaming down her flushed face. Her pale green eyes were shiny with tears. She glanced up to Katerina and blubbered with a smile, "he's not dead. Grant he's not dead, he's alive."

"That's great."

"Kat, Kat we have to get out of here. They talk about selling us, and… and…" she broke into more weeps, bowing her head to her chest.

"Where's Danielle?"

"Two men took her, they were laughing… they took her but I don't know where. Kat, you've got to get me out if here, I fear that they'll take me next."

An eruption of gun shots echoed in the air; all the girls shuddered and cried to the distressing sound. Sophia glanced around her and shuddered, her lips spluttering out more wails as more tears streamed down her face from her swelling eyes like an infinite waterfall.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm going to try and get you out, okay? Bear with me."

"Why… Kat what are you doing with a gun?"

"Doesn't matter, it's… I just need it."

"Kat… oh my god, are you okay? Your face."

Katerina raised her eyebrow in confusion, and brushed her fingers across her cheek. She was bleeding, "shit," she spat as she glanced down at the blood on her hands. She shook her head and whispered, "You know what, it's okay Soph, I'm alright; it's just a scratch."

"Where's your shirt? You must be freezing, did that pyscho…"

"My shirt and Vaas are not that important right now."

"Vaas?"

Katerina looked at Sophia in bewilderment, "yes he's…"

"Kat there's someone coming!"

Katerina jerked her bodied into the darkness, hiding behind a barrel behind the cage, with her finger resting on the trigger of the gun.

"What's that one gawking at?" one pirate snapped as marched up to the cage, swinging his gun his arms, pointing at the whimpering girl with the blond hair. Sophia trembled and hugged her body, glaring at the floor.

"Take that one out!"

Another pirate nodded and opened the cage door, and seized Sophia by the arm, she trembled, tears dripping from her chin. He lobbed her towards the other pirate who stood watching, twisting his fingers around the handle of his gun, and then he locked the cage door. It was Vaas. The barbaric savage.

"Shhh," he chilling soothed, grabbing her delicately by the arms and hugging her, "it's okay, it's okay." Her body trembled as she whimpered some more.

Vaas pushed her away from his chest, and cupped her wet face, glaring into her glassy eyes, "Your name is Sophia isn't." "Look Sophie, when I talk to you, the wise thing to do would to politely respond."

Her lip, trembled, tears flooding her skin. She anxiously nodded.

"It's okay Sophie. You just look a little suspicious, that's all. You wasn't talking to anybody was you?"

Her eyes widened, and she quickly shook her.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, her lip still trembling, and he grinned. "It's okay," he soothed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He clicked back the slide of the gun and pressed the cold metal against her head. She yelped and quivered, "no please," she wailed, tears drowning her pink skin.

"Hey!" Vaas shouted, the gun still resting on Sophia's skull, "whoever is out there, show yourself, or I will blow a bullet in this whore's brain! I will count to six!" "One! Two! Three!"

"Oh god please!" Sophia wailed.

"Hey," he snapped, shaking her abruptly in his arms, "be quiet. Four!" "Five!"

His cold eyes suspiciously examined the darkness. His eyes narrowed, and then sighed. He glanced down to the whimpering girl, "I'm am very sorry Sophie." "Six!"


	8. Chapter Eight - Six

"No!"

Sophia's chest quaked as she cried, her head falling to her breast. Katerina emerged from the darkness, standing in front of the savage; her fingers clasped tightly around the gun that she held securely in her right hand. Vaas clenched his teeth, his piercing eyes wide, cold and furious. His jaw tensed. He scrunched his riled face and glanced to his left, scowling at the cage full of terrified captives. His fierce eyes snapped to the woman who stood opposite him. Suddenly he laughed, brushing the tip of his gun across his forehead. He turned his head to look at his men behind him.

"Who let her out, huh?" he laughed, now resting the gun on his neck, "huh?"

He roared angrily, abrupt and sudden, smashing his black boots forcefully into the ground, as he harshly hurled Sophia to the floor. His gun fired. He growled as one of his men collapsed to the floor, clutching onto his bleeding stomach, red blood gushing from his lips as his limp body flopped to the ground.

"Who the fuck!" he screamed, pacing up and down, enraged like a wild animal, "let her out!"

Sophia curdled into a ball, wailing and squealing as she buried her head in her arms.

"Shut the fuck up!" Vaas barked, perching over the juddering body like a ravenous, feral beast, as the girl bawled hectically, tunnelling her head into the ground. "Stop fucking crying!"

Katerina shuffled her feet, breathing heavily against the cold air, now clenching onto the heavy gun with both hands and pointing it to the soiled, dry grass – her fingers gently resting on the trigger.

"We never let her out," one man muttered, tunnelling his heel into the mud, "why would we?"

Vaas snapped his head to the pirate and waved his gun at him, tilting his head in a chaotic manner, "what?" he barked, grinding his teeth together irritably, "are you implying that I am a fool? Huh? Do you think that I am stupid? Well? Fucking do you?" Vaas screamed angrily, the girl beside his feet trembled nervously, and even his men winced and glared at the floor. The man who spoke shook his head, lowering his rifle and restlessly raking his boot across the ground. "Do you want to fucking go?" he warned, his thunderous, turbulent voice, crackling through the cold, thin air, "because believe me, when I am livid, I will blast my bullet through anyone's fucking skull! And hermano, you're antagonizing me, and I fucking warn you amigo, that's not wise. Not fucking wise at all. So next time you open your mouth, ensure that it's something worth saying, otherwise, keep your fucking mouth shut!"

Katerina's fingers trembled against the cold metal of the gun as her wary, golden eyes locked onto Vaas. His head snapped in her direction and she gulped as he slowly took one step towards her. With her arm trembling, she lifted the gun to the air and pointed it at the wild brute.

"What?" Vaas teased, playfully holding his arm up in the air as he slowly walked towards her, "are you going to shoot me?"

"Take one more step and I will!" she warned, lifting the gun higher and resting her finger on the deadly trigger.

He stopped, and smirked, a heinous cackle erupting from his mouth. "Oh, I really doubt that." He chuckled.

"I warn you. Take one more step and I will pull this fucking trigger."

"Oh really?" His stern, dark eyebrows dropped over his cold, dark eyes and his jaw tensed as he scowled. "So If I take one step, you'll fucking shoot me? Really. Like this?"

With a scowl he stretched out his leg. Katerina winced as the gun jumped in her quaking hand, spitting out a bullet that soared rapidly in the air. Her hand had lowered from uncertainty, causing the bullet to blast into the ground. Dirt flew up into the cold air like a splash of cold water as the bullet penetrated the earth. Vaas, snapped his leg away and scowled, examining the hole that was beside his feet.

"You nearly fucking shot me!" he roared, glaring at the hole in the earth.

"I…I said I would."

He sucked his teeth, and chuckled wickedly "lucky for you, you missed…however…"

Katerina tensed as she glared into his fierce, burning eyes. Quickly he spun around and marched over to the quivering blond girl that had cradled her quaking body into a small ball. With a sigh, Vaas glared at her, whilst brushing his fingertips through his thick Mohawk. She looked up to him and cowered, hugging her body tighter and bringing her knees up to her chest.

"It's okay, it okay," he soothed, as he bent down to lift her to her feet. He stroked her messy blond hair as he trapped her in his arms. He shook her and laughed, gripping tightly onto her bare shoulders as she wailed like a terrified child that trembled to the sight of a petrifying monster.

"How about you try again, work on your aim, eh?" he snapped as he marched towards Katerina, who still pointed the gun at him, "do you think you will miss her if you shoot?" He wrapped his arm around the wailing girl who barely managed to stand, her arms and legs trembling as she anxiously stumbled towards the mouth of the gun that her friend had hold of.

"Please," Sophia whined, tears streaming down her glowing, pink face "why are you doing this?"

"Shhh Sophie," Vaas snapped, abruptly shaking her by the shoulders, stopping a few feet away from Katerina, "I want to see what your friend does."

"Let her go!" Katerina barked, but her voice cracked – similar to the clatter of ice crunching beneath your boot as your foot slowly treads on it. "Vaas let her go, "she repeated – her voice quieter and more composed.

"Come on, shoot me."

"No, please put her down."

"Shoot me! Come on just pull the fucking trigger!"

Vaas' voice grew louder, and echoed coldly in the air. Sophia trembled; her head lowered to her chest, and tears poured from her cheeks to the floor. The gun quaked in Katerina's grasp. Her arm shook as tears began to swell in her vexed sapphire eyes.

"Vaas," she croaked, swallowing a whine that forcefully tried to escape her trembling lips.

"Come on! Fucking shoot!"

"Vaas, please just drop her! Don't hurt her, it's not her fault, please!"

"Shoot…or…"

Katerina shook her head anxiously, tears dripping down her cheeks, as Vaas pressed his gun against Sophia's head. She squealed, and shuddered like a sick animal as she exploded into more whines and desperate pleas.

He chuckled, the corners of his mouth stretching wide, as the icy gun rested on the girls head, "Or I will."

"No."

"Shall I start counting again?"

"No, no please."

"One."

"Vaas, please don't!"

"Two. Are you guessing what number I'm going up to?" He snickered, taking a step closer and digging the mouth of the gun deeper into Sophia's head, making the petrified girl squeal, "Three."

"No! I can't, I can't!"

"Four."

Sophia lifted her head, her face flooded from her tears, "p...please don't," she squealed, "please, please, please you can k…kill her, but just don't kill me, please! I beg you!"

Vaas looked down to the whimpering girl and cocked an eyebrow chuckling at her and gripping onto the strands of her hair before glancing back up to Katerina, who had lowered her gun. Her hazel eyes locked on Sophia, her face still. Suddenly, her teeth clenched and she barked "what! Giving me up that easily are you! Fucking coward. You're supposed to be my friend Soph' and you're selling me out to save your own fucking ass! Fuck you Sophie!"

"No!" she wailed back, tears pouring from her red eyes, "I don't want to die! I can't die like this! I won't die like this!"

Vaas chuckled, his fingers still clenching onto the sobbing girl's blond hair, and his gun still resting on her head. "Five." he sang.

"I was going to help you!" she roared, now only holding the gun in one, "I could have got you out of here!"

Vaas suddenly snapped his head, his eyes wide and his teeth clamped together. He stomped viciously closer to Katerina, spotting his aggression she quickly raised the gun. Sophia squealed from the sudden abrupt tug of her hair as he hauled her forward. His eyes were fierce and angry. Katerina quivered to sight of it. _Shit!_ She thought to herself, sweat acumalting on her brow as she glared fretfully into his brutal wide eyes,_ I shouldn't have said that. Shit. Fuck… fuck!_

"So, you weren't just going to escape," he snapped, his body shaking as he spoke, and the blue veins pulsating angrily in his neck, against his heated skin – a sight that was becoming awfully familiar to Katerina – "you were going to liberate my captive's as well, huh?"

He was close to her. She could feel his heated breath on her cold, trembling skin as he spoke. The mouth of the gun she held nearly touched his chest… or was that Sophia? She didn't look, too afraid to let her eyes leave him.

"Six!" he snapped. One squeal, and bang! She collapsed to the floor, red hair flowing over her wet, pink face as her head lay in the dirt. Red blood splashed on Vaas' cheek and arm, and on Katerina's arm and on Katerina's chest. Her lip trembled as she glared at the body beside her bare feet. She whimpered, barring her lips together to try and muffle the cries, and looked back at him – her body trembling. She dropped the gun in shock.

Suddenly her seized her by the arm, and shook her abruptly and harshly. She squirmed in his grasp, punching his arm both fists, tears streaming down her cheeks as she wailed. "Bastard!" she spat, "fuck you!"

Vaas quickly raised his arm and silenced her with a rough strike to her cheek. She stopped, glaring at Vaas with wide, fearful eyes as she cupped her cheek with her palm.

"If you fucking try this again!" Vaas angrily bellowed, his face nearly touching her, "I will fucking kill you!" She whimpered at his screams and squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the tears that trailed down her throbbing skin, "do you fucking understand me!" he screamed, grasping her harshly by the shoulders, "hey!"

She snivelled, fluttering her soaked eyes open, tears clung to her long black eyelashes and fell to her cheeks. She glanced up at him and barred her lips together, nodding her head.

Without saying another word he roughly hauled her away into the darkness, marching quickly and sternly – making Katerina stumble over her feet and nearly fall to the ground.

Still clutching onto Katerina's arm, Vaas unlocked the red metal door of his shack and kicked the door open with his boot. He took one step and flung Katerina inside. She stumbled over her feet, treading on the scattered shards of glass and collapsed to the floor, near his bed at the back of the dark, icy shack. He flicked the light on with his thumb and smashed the door shut with his arm. He took one glance at her and spun rounded, smashing his fist against the wooden wall. Katerina jumped, as the shack seemed to quake from his belligerent, vicious movements. Digging her teeth into her lip she stood up, limping as she rose to her feet.

"I have a very strong urge," Vaas snapped, pacing up and down the shack, shaking his hands in the air, "to slice you fucking open for what you've done!"

The glass shattered under his boots. The echo made Katerina tremble, but she kept her gazed locked on him, and said nothing.

"How the fuck did you even get out, huh? What? Did you clamber through the fucking window, did you?"

"Yes." She stammered, clenching her hands into fists as she watched.

"Okay, okay, I'll play along. So no one saw you? You just jumped out unseen, with your hands bound?"

"Well…"

Vaas glanced at her, and scowled, darting over to her and seizing coarsely by her chin.

"What the fuck is that?" he snapped.

"What?"

"What the fuck is that, on your fucking face?"

"Oh… a scratch."

"Did someone does this? Have you been frolicking with any of my men? Huh? Believe me if you have…. No, no, no, if you have been fucking playing games and have been fucking with me, showing me fucking disrespect, then… then you will fucking sorry. So tell me, who the fuck give you that!"

"Why the fuck would I want to do anything with your men?"

He shook her abruptly, tightening his grip on her arm. She grimaced, digging her blunt nails into her palms.

"You're crossing thin line. I will ask one more time, before I get seriously fucking pissed off."

"One of your pirates attacked me," she croaked, breathing restlessly as he glared at her, "so I defended myself and got this in return."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"No, you're fucking lying!"

"Check outside, and you'll see that I'm not lying as you will find his body by the window!"

Realising what she said she quickly concealed her lips with her palm and froze in his grasp. _Fuck Kat!_ She thought to herself, _why can't I keep my mouth shut? Shit, why did I say that? Fuck!_

"You what?" "You killed someone? You killed one of _my_ men?"

Lowering her palm from her lips she glared up at him, glaring at the blood splattered on his cheek. Her lip trembled as she peered up to glimpse at his cold brown eyes that narrowed and studied her face. He quickly ran his tongue across his lips and opened them to speak.


	9. Chapter Nine - Amusement

His mouth stretched into a grin, and he chuckled – his deep callous cackle vibrating in the air, "you really are different, aren't you?" He seized her by the arms and shook her, in retaliation she clutched onto his arms and gasped to his touch. "It's funny! First, you quarrel with me on the way up here, then you escape, then you point a fucking gun at me, which… I am still relatively fucking pissed at!" His tone of voice suddenly changed to being angry and threatening to a one that bounced with laughter and jest; he continued, still grinning as he spoke "and now, you're telling me that you killed someone. It's funny that a part of me believes you! For your sake, let's hope your just joking Chica."

"I'm afraid I'm not."

He laughed, his eyes studying her face. But her expression did not change, it remained guarded, filled with ire, resentment and grief. The corners of his mouth slowly fell as he continued to examine her – his eyes narrowing and his jaw tightening. His face fell dark and cold, as if a blanket of vice and animosity had wrapped itself around him, leaving a horrid expression on his pitiless face. He scowled, crinkling his nose in irritation. His head darted closer to her, his agitated breath hitting Katerina on her skin, "so!" he snapped, anger growing in his deep, solemn voice, "if I go outside, your telling me I'll find a fucking body? That you are responsible for? That's fucking crazy! I mean, why would _you_ do that? Kill someone, without remorse? That's fucking corrupt Chica! Don't you think?"

"Isn't that what you do?" she teased, her voice low and direct. Her expression hadn't changed. She remained still as cold water, and blank as white paper.

With a snarl, Vaas' hand suddenly seized Katerina's neck – his fingers coiling around her flesh. She gasped, clutching onto his fingers with her trembling hands, in a futile attempt to pry them away from her skin. He laughed, shoving her abruptly to the wall, pressing his torso against her chest and her exposed stomach – his grip slowly tightening around her neck. She choked, gasping for air, and her grip loosened, and her hand slowly fell. "Remember your fucking place!" he snapped, shaking her as he spoke, "remember I could break you as easily as a fucking tooth pick Chica! So watch what you fucking say!"

"Please…" she choked - her eyes rolling to her skull, and the colour fading from her face.

With a grin he dropped her, as harshly as he seized her, and she collapsed to the floor, crashing onto the wooden surface with a harsh thud. She coughed breathlessly, clutching on her reddened, raw neck, rubbing it delicately with the tips of her fingers.

"I'm going to check outside," he declared, with a minor cadence to his voice. She didn't glance up to look at him; still coughing and stroking her burning neck as she glared at the floor. Her head only lifted when she heard the startling smash of the metal door, and when she glanced up he was gone_. I better prepare myself for a liable _vicious explosion, she thought to herself, shuddering in pain as she slowly sat herself up – her cut feet too tender for her to stand

Finally, after what felt like hours to Katerina, the red metal door was pushed open. Katerina braced herself, clenching her teeth together and freezing her body to stone.

Vaas stood in the door, arching his back and resting his right hand on his knee – his head lowered, glaring at floor, not yet looking up at Katerina. His back quaked, and, to Katerina's surprise, laughter echoed from his lips. Katerina glared at him, puzzled and astounded, with her lips slightly parted; her body was still tense but her shoulders dropped and she relaxed a little. She opened her mouth to speak, but she ceased her breath, and barred her lips together – sitting in silence and glaring in wonder, at the man who stood laughing like a child in the doorway.

He finally straightened his back, his eyes nearly swelling with tears. He glanced at Katerina, who was still greatly confused and raised an eyebrow at him subconsciously.

"Did you see him?" he howled, his voice bouncing with laughter, as he pointed outside, "you stabbed him in the fucking neck! In the neck! You! A woman! He's…" he broke into more laughter, slamming the door behind him and capering over to her, "fuck Chica, you killed him! But you didn't just kill him, you knifed the little fucker in the neck! I'm surprised! Wow! Like, wow!"

_How was this funny? How on earth, did he find this at all funny?_

Katerina shook her head, watching in bewilderment, as her chaotic capturer controlled his laughter, snapping a tear from his cheek, whilst muttering to himself, "that's fucking crazy!"

"Seriously now," he snapped, his tone more harsh, shaking his head and shoulders whilst sauntering over to Katerina. He chuckled and snatched Katerina by her arm, she yelped as he hauled her up. Her knees wobbled as she staggered on her gashed feet. "What shall I do with you?" he teased, taking a strand of her hair and curling it around his thumb, "you _have_ angered me."

"Fuck you Vaas." She spluttered out, flashing her eyes away from his horrid face.

She flinched to the sudden slap Vaas delivered to her arm. His hit was brusque and made her skin throb. "Am I not being generous?" he barked, grasping Katerina's chin and yanking it to his direction, "do you want me to fucking kill you?" "Well fucking do you?"

Her lip juddered; she was still dreadfully afraid of the distressing thunder in his angered voice. Though she wanted to show no fear, she couldn't cease her lip from trembling, or her body from shuddering, or her eyes from shutting or her heart from racing. She shook her head, but that didn't appease him. He struck her again, shaking her abruptly in by her arms.

"No, I'm sorry!" she managed to finally mutter.

She was heavy in his arms, hardly able to bear the sharp pain that rushed up her feet when they touched the wooden surface. He held her gaze, eyeing her shiny, golden, hazel orbs, her slender nose and her luscious rouged lips. His thumb trailed up her cheek and grazed across the wound engraved in her luminous skin. She winced, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as he touched it.

"I'm afraid that's gonna' scar Chica," he sighed, brushing the blood off her cheek gently with his thumb.

Her eyes fluttered open, glaring directly at the man who studied her carefully like a prize, caressing her cheek and jaw with his thumb. His hands trailed down to her collarbone, she flinched to the touch and he chuckled, roughly clutching onto the back of her neck and pulling her head towards his. She shook her head irately, as his lips leaned into hers, ceasing her angered yells of protest. His left hand grasped her waist as the other trailed up to the back of her skull where he tightly snatched a curtain of her hair and laced it in his fingers. Katerina winced, growling into his mouth in rile, pushing Vaas' shoulders with her fists and the palms of her hands, but he didn't move. Her skull smashed against the wood of the shack walls – unable to move with Vaas' steaming, raved body pressed up against her. With a grin, he savagely sunk his teeth into her bottom lip, until blood trickled down her skin. She growled and bawled into his mouth, unable to liberate her lips from his, smashing Vaas harshly with her fists, and shuddering to the horrific crunching noise in between the savage's teeth. He drew back slightly, breathing heavily into her mouth, "that's for biting me," he purred, a corrupt cackle erupting from his lips. He laughed, leaning his lips back into her. Then the unthinkable happened. Something Vaas nor even Katerina expected. With anger, and resentment boiling up inside Katerina, as if she was a hot kettle ready to explode, she quickly brought up her fist and clouted the savage in the jaw. He stammered backwards, shaking his head, dazed from the ordeal.

Now would normally be the perfect opportunity to dash away - a sort of "hit and run" - but Katerina just stood there, traumatized on what she just did. She stood frozen, as if she had be turned to rock, glaring at her hands – her mouth dropped and fell wide. _Did I really just do that? Shit, did I just do that? _

Her eyes flashed to the enraged pirate that snapped his head up. She swallowed her breath, her shaking hands raised above her head.

"Now… now you fucking done it!" he roared, rushing over to her and striking her in the face. His blow was that forceful that Katerina plummeted straight to the floor, her whole body quivering with dread.

"Fucking bastard!" she squealed, as he yanked her to her feet, clutching only onto her hair. Her face glowed - Katerina could feel her tender skin burning like a blaze. With a snarl Vaas hooked his boot behind her ankle, swiping her legs out from underneath her and sending her crashing down onto her back with a hard thump. His heavy body concaved down onto her small frame, crushing her ribs and compressing her hips. She kicked her legs angrily, screaming and bashing her heels into the floor. "Get off of me! Get off of me!" she screamed, hurling her head and body to try and break free.

"Shut the fuck up!" he roared, seizing her wrists and pinning them the floor, "don't make me kill you."

"Fuck you!"

With a snarl he let go of one of her hands and reach to his holster drawing out his gun. The cold metal dug harshly into Katerina forehead, and she quailed, as tears began to swell in her eyes. Panic devoured her, clawing at the inside of her gut like a feral animal until there was nothing left of her but fear.

"I'm sorry Kat what did you say? Huh? What did you fucking say?"

She shook her head vigorously, tears flying from her face, "nothing," she muttered, "nothing."

He burrowed his gun further into her head, she squealed, her eyes squeezing shut. "Is that all you want to say?" he asked coldly, leaning his face closer to her – his warm breath grazing across her cheek.

She shook her head, clenching her lips together as her eyes sprang open. "I'm sorry," she blubbered breathlessly, "Vaas I'm sorry."

She juddered under his body, as his gun trailed the border her face, down her neck and down her stomach. His rough hands snaked down her body, feeling the icy chill of her bare skin. The gun brushed back up her skin to her head where he pushed it against her skull. She trembled again - her eyes barring shut to try and block out the nightmare – as his tongue traced her skin. His teeth nibbled coarsely on her neck, biting down onto her flesh until he tasted the faint, metallic taste of her blood. She wailed, drawing her arms to her head and concealing her eyes. His hands snaked her body, seizing the rim of her demin short and yanking them roughly down her thighs and off her legs. The echo of her rounded metal buttons colliding against the wooden floor rang through the shack like a siren. Katerina wailed – fear had overcome her and took control of her whole body, like a vicious daemon devouring her mind, until her sanity was depleted. Vaas silenced her with his lips, trailing his tongue over the gash he had created in her lip, and groping her legs and ass as she shuddered beneath him.

Suddenly his body jolted away from her, and instead he stood above her, surveying her as if she was his prey. His eyes appeared to be distrait and tired, and they seemed to search Katerina's face for a solution of some sort. She squirmed awkwardly on the floor as he gaped inanely at her, his face relaxed but oddly distressed – something she had never witnessed from him yet. She had seen the anger, the chaotic hilarity, but nothing like this. It worried her. Was it something she had done? What was going to happen?

She remained still and glared right back at him, awaiting the moment where his mood would snap to become something completely different, like someone changing the channel on a television. But… nothing. Her stared at her some more, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat, until her whipped his body away - trudging over to his desk, with his heavy boots dragging across the floor.


	10. Chapter Ten - Minutes

The air was silent. How late was it? Katerina could hear crickets humming melodically outside. She could even hear the crunching of leaves that people were silently treading on. The shack was silent too. All you could hear was Katerina's slow, deep breath, and Vaas… not a whisper from him. Katerina thought that he had left, vanished like some mysterious phantom out of a story book, but he hadn't. He was still here. What was he doing? She didn't know – as she was still lying frozen on her back, glaring up at the ceiling, studying the cracks in the wilted wood that flowed like rivers and the several silver silk cobwebs that hung in the corners like draperies. The artificial light in the room was dim, and the old bulb was nearly ready to be replaced. There was a small hole in the wood, no smaller than a pea, but from that tiny gap a blue light shined through – light from the moon – and it was stunning. Katerina viewed it with a smile, wondering if she would ever be able to behold the moon from this place. After all, it was an island, and was probably beautiful – teeming with light and life. Here she was enclosed, trapped in cold bars like an animal, blocked from any pure light that wanted to touch her skin. And here light was shunned, along with any life. This was a barren land. Filled only with demise, fear and vice.

The silence was disturbed by the shrill clatter of a bottle hitting the table, and then the rough scratch of a match. Katerina's nose shrivelled to sickly smell of smoke and marijuana that flew in the air. Her hand reached to her neck, which throbbed, the aggravating pain clawing at her skin. She gritted her teeth, annoyed that the brutal savage had bit that harshly onto her flesh. She shook her head angrily, glancing at her fingers that were doused in her blood.

A cold breeze moaned eerily through the cracks of the floor, and Katerina shivered, sitting herself up and hugging her knees to try and generate some heat. She winced as she moved her feet, stupidly biting down onto her lip causing her to jerk in pain. She rushed her hand to her mouth as more warm blood trickled down her chin. Inhaling deeply she wiped it away with the back of her hand, but she gently dabbed her gashed, aching lip with her fingers. She winced again as she moved her feet inch by inch, so that her legs drew closer to her bare stomach. Somehow she was warmer without her shorts on –probably because now the remains of the icy sea didn't cling to her skin – and was thankful to see that her black lace underwear was still on, and even happier knowing it was quite dry. Though she felt awfully vulnerable, and self-conscious sitting here like this – exposed. Her body was involuntary on display for Vaas to gaze upon when he wished, hence why she drew her knees up closer, squashing her chest into her thighs and resting her forehead onto her knees.

Vaas glanced over to her, taking a long drag of his cigarette and watching with curiosity as she buried her head into her knees. He tilted his head and examined the splashes of blood on the floor, then his eyes scanned to her feet. Her toes crinkled, and her whole foot shuddered from agony; blood dripping onto the floorboards, echoing in the quiet room.

"You've cut your feet," Vaas exclaimed, choking as he blow out a haze of grey smoke.

Katerina lifted her head, her tangled brunette hair spiralling over her face, "I…I know," she stammered. She cringed, her eyes tightening, for every movement of her lips stung like the sharp thorn of nettle, as if her flesh was tearing open every time she spoke or moved her mouth. "I cut it on the glass."

"That was stupid of you," Vaas snorted.

"Well you did throw me."

Her eyes clenched, regretting her words. But instead of bestowing a vile act of aggression, Vaas chuckled, bringing the cigarette to his lips, "so I did," he grunted, taking another long drag of his cigarette, holding the smoke in for a while before blowing it out from the corners of his mouth.

Minutes had past and still the air was silent. Vaas stared blankly at the wall opposite him, leaning against the table – his dark eyes wide and empty, as if he was in a trance. He held the cigarette in his fingers, letting it shrivel up into a long strand of grey ash until it fluttered to the floor. With a heavy sigh he brushed his fingertips through his hair, snubbing the remaining bit of his cigarette on the table.

Katerina watched him with wary eyes, "Vaas?" she whispered, her head lifting from her legs.

"What?" he snapped, unfastening his holster that coiled around his waist and lobbing it onto the table.

She shook her head, regretful of speaking, sensing his irritation, "never mind," she muttered, glaring at the floor – avoiding eye contact with him.

"Well then," he grunted, kicking of his boots and collapsing onto his bed, "don't fucking speak next time."

His chest raised as he released another sigh, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and finger, then brushing his palm up his skull – his fingertips grazing the scar that trailed to the back of his head.

"Do I have to fucking tie you up?" he grunted in a surprisingly soft monotone.

Katerina looked at him, hugging her knees as she croaked, "sorry?"

"Do I have to fucking tie you up? So you don't get away or make a reckless move by trying to snatch a weapon from my holster." He voice was surprisingly calm, but it was low and stern, which distressed her still.

She shook her head, "that won't happen."

"Hmm, not too sure if I can believe that."

"In my condition…" she winced to the sharp pain in her lip, but swallowed her whimper and continued, "I can barely stand. So I assure you that I'm not going anywhere."

"Condition? You mean the wounds on your feet, why? Are they bad?"

"It's just a scratch. I'm sure it will heal."

He laughed, his deep cackle vibrating in his throat, making his chest quake. His eyes sprang open as he rotated his head to look her. Not wanting to look directly into his dark callous eyes she flashed her head away, swallowing her breath, and tensing as it travelled slowly down her throat.

A few minutes past, and silence filled the room. Katerina glanced down at her feet and examined them, wincing as she probed her fingers at the shards of glass stuck in her flesh. Building up some courage she turned her head towards Vaas, whose fierce eyes glued to the ceiling.

"Vaas?"

"You better fucking say something this time." He warned, still fixed on the cracks above him.

That frightened her, but she swallowed her fear and inhaled deeply, pursing her lips to speak. "May I have… some alcohol… to clean my wounds?"

He laughed sitting up, leaning his elbows on his knees. "Why the fuck would I give you that?" he teased, he mouth stretching into a wicked grin.

"I was only asking."

He chuckled, rising to his feet and sauntering over to his table, avoiding the shards of glass on the floor. "You'll be asking for a fucking cigarette next." He growled, as he rummaged through glass bottles.

Shaking a bottle in his hand he strolled over to her, crouching beside her once he reached her. With a snarl he seized Katerina's ankle roughly, making her crash onto her back.

"What are doing?" she stammered, wincing at the pain.

"Shut the fuck up Kat, I'm not in the mood."

He lifted her foot and examined it, his eyes squinting as he surveyed her skin, "there is still glass in here, do you know that?"

"Yes."

Abruptly he dropped her foot, jumping to his feet. Katerina yelped, bowing her head as tears swelled in her glassy eyes. Suddenly he was back, twisting a sharp knife in his hand. Katerina gulped, and her body trembled. _Oh god!_ She thought to herself, her eyes fixed on the blade he held loosely in his hand.

He sat back down, crossing his legs and snatching Katerina's ankle again, hauling it to his lap. She squirmed in his grasp, trembling as he hovered the knife beside her skin.

"Fucking sit still!" he snapped. She obeyed, biting down on her lip, not caring if more blood was to trickle from her mouth.

She yelped, clawing her nails into the wooden floorboards, grinding her teeth together and squeezing her eyes tightly shut. Vaas had took the blade and pierced her skin with it, slicing at the cuts that were already engraved on the soles of her feet. "Stop moving!" he snapped, picking his blade at her other foot. Tears drowned his skin, and blood leaked from her mouth were she had gnawed her lip in agony. She breathed heavily, nibbling harshly at her knuckles that she had brought to her lips.

"This is gonna' fuckin' hurt by the way," he warned, his tone cold and impatient.

Katerina braced herself, barring her wet eyes tightly shut, hiding her face with her palms. Then she felt it. The agonizing burning sensation across her wounds, sinking deep into her flesh as if someone had brutally poured acid over her skin. Her skin felt like it was being singed from the inside. She barred her lips tightly but the high squeals still echoed from her mouth.

She controlled her breathing, her hands clenched into fists over her eyes. She had fallen onto her back, and lay their shuddering with her breath ragged. She opened her eyes when she heard a tearing noise, and when she looked up she saw Vaas tearing her shirt that he lobbed on the floor earlier, and then wrapping the fabric around her foot. Katerina squealed to the pain, gnawing onto her fists. Vaas tapped her leg roughly, "stop crying your fine." He snapped, standing up abruptly, so her feet fell, her heels crashing against the wood of the floor with a thud. _What had he done? _Katerina asked herself, as she controlled her breathing._ Did he just help me? It certainly didn't feel like _it. Wincing every time her foot moved, she slowly managed to sit up again, resting her back against the cold wall, shrouding herself in darkness. With the back of her wrist she wiped the blood from her mouth and chin, and hugged her knees – her body still shaking from the horrific ordeal.

"Here!" Vaas called tersely, snatching the thin red blanket from his bed with his fist and tossing it to Katerina.

She caught the blanket quickly, brushing her fingertips across the soft fleecy texture. "Thank you." She said softly, her voice dry from her whimpers, drawing the blanket up to her chest, nuzzling her body into it.

"Get some sleep," he ordered snappishly, clearly in an irritable mood, resting his palm over his eyes as he lay back on the bed.

How? She thought, glaring at the blue fabric coiled around her feet. She was unsure if Vaas was sleeping or was just lying there. His arm concealed his face and he lay there without muttering a single word. Perhaps he yearned for some rest - it was late, and the day had been long and wearying. Resting her head on the wall, Katerina wrapped the fleecy blanket snugly around her body. The blanket smelt of him - the cloying aroma of salt and liquor. Normally the odour would repulse her, but she was freezing, and this thin cover was seen as a gift that she should value - as she didn't know how long she would be able to keep the precious donation for. She drew the blanket closer, nuzzling her neck into the fabric. It took a while but eventually her eyes fell heavy, as if a dark spell had come over her. Her head bowed to her knees and her eyes slowly shut.


	11. Chapter Eleven - Awakened

Katerina awakened, and her face shrivelled with agony. Outside it was still dark; the air was biting and cold. Did she get any sleep at all? What time was it? With her fist she rubbed her eyes that were still wet with tears, wincing at the excruciating pain in her foot. Once she moved her face she stiffened to the stinging pain in her cheek. Day one and she was already battered and scored – going great.

Vaas was still lounging on his bed – one arm slung over his eyes and the other hanging off the edge of the bed, with his fingertips grazing the wooden floorboards. Katerina glared at him for a while, watching for any brash movements that he might randomly make. But Vaas was still, like the calm water, breathing slowly and heavily against his arm.

Katerina moved her eyes away from him and scanned the room anxiously. For a while she glared at the table, behind the treacherous stream of glass, her eyes scanning back at forth, from Vaas and to the table and then back at Vaas again. Digging her nails into her palm, she held her breath and burrowed her fists into the floorboards, squeezing her eyes shut as she slowly rose from the floor. She balanced on her heels and yelped silently, clawing at the wall as she whimpered in pain – tears trickling down her cheek and falling to her breast. She took one step, delicately treading onto the rough wood, but even stepping lightly caused the excruciating pain to claw callously at her flesh, making her muscles ache and her skin burn. She yelped, falling to her stomach, catching herself roughly by her arms.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Vaas groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose and rubbing his face with his rough hand.

Katerina sat up, wincing and clenching her teeth together as she hissed through her teeth, pain filling her body as she moved. With her shaken hand she brushed the hair from her face and looked up at Vaas with fretful eyes that swelled from tears and shined like silver. He sat up, growling as he brushed his fingertips through his hair, exhaling deeply as he glared at the nails in the floorboard.

"Are you going to fucking answer me?" he snarled, standing up and glaring at her from above.

"I wasn't d…doing anything," she stammered, her lip trembling as she lifted her head to look at her capturer, "I was seeing if I could stand."

"Why?" His voice was serious, it was a bark – a vicious scold that frightened her. His severe low tone sent a chilling, abysmal shiver through her body. "I asked you why," he barked again, growing impatient; snapping his head to her direction.

"I..I… I just wanted to see how badly my wounds were."

"Liar."

"I'm not…"

"No, no, no, no!" he barked, crouching down besides Katerina, who stumbled backwards onto her elbows, quivering to the warm gust of Vaas' breath against her skin. "Don't you know not to lie? It's a stupid fucking thing to do. Gets you into all kinds of trouble that you don't want to fuckin' be in." "Plus, have I ever told you that I'm not a great morning person?"

"Well, I haven't been here for very long." She stammered her voice dry and shaken.

Vaas chuckled, snatching a strand of her hair and twisting it in her fingers, "are you suggesting that you want to stay for a while? Eh? Are you enjoying my company?"

"I…I… no."

"No?"

"No."

He chuckled again, standing up and studying her like a painting – something that pleased but also amused him. His hand rushed to his head, and he slowly traced it down his face, stretching his skin and rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "Stand up." He ordered in a severe monotone.

She looked at him and gulped, digging her fists into the ground and pushing herself up by her arms.

"Come on, stand the fuck up." He barked, tapping his foot impatiently.

Finally Katerina was to her feet, her body trembling and her eyes swelling with tears. She bit her lip anxiously as she peered up at Vaas, clenching her fists together as she stood awkwardly on her aching feet.

"Can you walk?"

Katerina winced, "I don't know," she muttered, nerves creeping into her voice, making it quake.

"Try."

Katerina barred her lips together, moving her feet reluctantly. She took one small step and yelped, falling forwards towards the floor. She opened her eyes, expecting her face to be buried into the ground, but she did not hit the floor. Vaas had quickly caught her and held her in his arms, turning her body around so that she looked up at him. He locked her in his arms for a moment, glaring into her wide hazel orbs that shimmered with tears.

Flashing his eyes away he abruptly dropped her, releasing his protecting grasp and allowing her to collapse harshly onto the wooden floor. She squealed as her back crashed bitterly against the hard surface with a loud thud. He perched over her – a predator observing prey – as she lay still on the floor, gnawing on her inner cheek expecting Vaas to tumble on top of her like some monster in a horror film. Instead, he reached for his boots, plunging his feet into them and quickly tying the black laces together. Katerina watched him leave, her eyes glued to the red metal door that slammed shut, taking away with it any light that had previously filled the room.

_What on earth is happening?_ Katerina thought as she slowly sat up, resting her back against the warm wood of Vaas' bed, _why the many questions? Why the slow, heavy movements? Why the small unanticipated acts of humanity? Why the tiredness and the unease? What drove him to become this different when he was confined to this shack alone? Did I miss something? Had something horrific happened, but for some unsettling reason I cannot recall it? What was going to become of me? What was going on? _

Katerina waited, stroking the blue, blood-stained fabric swathed around her feet with her fingertips. The weird thing was, was that she didn't even know what she was waiting for. Perhaps she was waiting for an insight, something to guide her away from this prison. Or maybe she was waiting for someone to rescue her, a saviour that would take her pain and fear away, and let it get lost in the wind. Someone who would protect her and keep her from harm. She chuckled at her ridiculous hopes. Of course that wasn't going to happen. No one was going to liberate her from her torment and no one was going to shield her from harm. She no longer was her own person. She was property, controlled by fear - owned by a vicious, brutal and terrifying pirate lord. Here, in this place, she felt powerless and felt that there was nothing, and none one, that could save her from the agony she was bearing.

Though the thought of escaping again did wander in her mind. _Try a different route and hope for the best_. But, there was no guarantee that, that could work. She was badly beaten and her whole body throbbed with pain that burned like fire against her delicate skin, which meant that even if she could escape, where would she go? How would she even get there? How would she even bear the strength to clamber up to window, and slink through bushes and behind rocks and barrels? It was not possible. She sighed, bowing her head to her chest and shutting her eyes. Her recent thoughts left her wandering, why didn't Vaas lock the window? What was he trying to prove?

"Wake up!"

Katerina jumped to the sudden boisterous sound of Vaas' dulcet call - that abnormally bounced with jest. Golden light glowed into the shack from the open door and the small window. When did Katerina fall asleep? How long was she asleep for? Had Vaas been away all this time?

"Well, good afternoon!" he smiled, a gun in his hand, "been asleep all this time have you? Lazy. You are very lazy Kat, tut tut." He laughed, brushing the tip of his pistol across his head, "pleasant dreams? Eh? No?" he grinned, lips dripping with a callous venom, "or was you dreaming about me? Can you not get enough of me? Enjoyed my fiery kiss last night, eh?"

Katerina shook her head, wrapping her fingers tightly around her arms and drawing her knees up to her chest.

"No? Why?" Vaas growled, marching over to her slowly, his foot treading on the glass that shattered beneath his boot. He chuckled, crouching beside her, "what? Did you want more? Was it not enough for you sweetheart?" Vaas grinned, sticking his pink tongue out between his teeth as a malice snicker echoed from his mouth. Katerina glared up at him with wide wary eyes - her body as hard as marble. "I think you should tell me the truth," his voice was a whisper, he continued, taking hold of her by the arms, "I know you yearn for more of it, the taste of it. I am correct, no?"

Katerina flashed her eyes away from Vaas' face and glared at the floor, studying the small rusted nails embedded in the wood. A deep chuckle erupted from Vaas' lips and he pushed back a strand of Katerina's long hair behind her ear. "Your hair is no longer wet I see," he chuckled, cupping her face in his palms, but still her eyes looked away, "though, still damp…" he sighed, brushing his fingertips across the deep wound on her cheek, "you look pale Chica."

He erupted into more chilling roguish cackles, standing up and looking down at her like a predator – hunger building in his cold eyes. His tongue raced across his lips, and Katerina peered up - a silent dry cough exploding from her lips. Her lip trembled as she opened them, "Vaas, can I have some water please?"

He chuckled again, brushing his fingertips through his Mohawk and glaring up at the ceiling as he snickered, "water! Yes, I could do with some water. The sweet, cold refreshing fluid rushing down my dry throat. Thanks Chica!"

With a callous grin he spun around rapidly, bouncing with amusement. Katerina watched, her throat so dry that each tiny breath clawed at the back of her skin, making it itch and burn. She coughed quietly again, concealing her lips with the back of her hand. Vaas swirled around with hilarity, clutching onto a small plastic carton, half-filled with precious clear liquid. Saliva filled her mouth, as she glared eagerly, tracing her tongue across her dry lips. Vaas chuckled at her pitiful desperation, drawing the carton to his lips and taking a long swig of the cold water. Katerina watched restlessly as water droplets escaped from the corners of his lips, trickling down his chin, down his steaming neck and onto his hard chest. It was tempting for her to swiftly scurry over to him like a ravenous animal and lick every droplet of water from his skin. She gnawed at the inside of her cheek as she studied his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed the vital fluid. Her eyes began to swell as she watched the volume of water decrease and decrease some more. She glanced away with grief, reluctant to witness the last droplets of water being slurped up by the cruel savage. Vaas brought the carton away from his wet lips, slamming the carton onto the table before he ambled over to Katerina, striding over to her with an unsettling predacious manner. He crouched beside her, grasping onto her chin and hauling her head to his direction. His body snaked closer to her, his chest compressing against hers and with his fingers he pried open her lips, hovering his mouth above hers. Water spilled from his lips, gushing from his mouth like a wonderful precious waterfall. Katerina willingly opened her mouth, gratefully gulping down the precious mixture of warm water and his saliva and catching every droplet with her tongue, leaning her mouth closer to his to ensure that no drop was missed. Vaas chuckled, more droplets of water spilling from the corners of his mouth. Katerina peered up at him, licking any excess water from her lips, watching his face carefully for his next move.

His tongue traced the borders of his lips, his head bowing closer to her. Katerina closed her eyes, listening to the quickening beat of her heart. The strong scent of liquor flooded her nose, and for a moment made her dizzy. She suddenly felt warm, the pleasing, tranquil feeling you get when you cradle into a ball beside a roaring fire. She was roused from that by a rough, sensual force against her lips, and gasped, opening her eyes to discover that her capturer's lips had collided brusquely against hers and that his body had concaved onto her small frame, pinning her down like an animal as his lips lavished her lips, trapping her in his embrace.


	12. Chapter Twelve - Broken

**I would first just like to say a huge thank you to anyone who is giving this fic a read. Honestly it means a lot. Oh, and thank you ****also to anyone who has commented, favor****ited or followed this story, it keeps me writing it and again is really appreciated. Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter, and sorry this was a little later than when I normally post it. Enjoy ~**

**WARNING - THIS CHAPTER FEATURES A RAPE SCENE WHICH IS QUITE GRAPHIC. **

His movements were quick, and sudden. Katerina went to strike Vaas with her fist but her arm was stuck and she couldn't move – being trapped by Vaas' hand. His body grazed against her bare skin, his hand burying her arm roughly into the floor as he continued to kiss her, ramming his tongue into her mouth. Katerina growled into Vaas' mouth, rapidly jolting her head to the side in an attempt to get him off of her. Though her attempts were futile, as his body sank further into hers and his mouth rammed more forcefully against her lips – his nose skimming her skin as he buried his head deeper into her face.

Vaas slowly ran his hands viciously up Katerina's neck, his fingers stroking her velvet skin, as Katerina wailed quietly, squeezing her eyes shut and digging her nails into her palms. Vaas grinned wickedly, callously trailing his hands up her legs. Her hand reached up to his shoulder in which she clawed at it chaotically, kicking her legs and screaming into Vaas' mouth as she rocked her body violently on the floor.

His mouth finally lifted from hers - the corners of his mouth stretched into a grin, with his tongue trailing across his lips, "Mmmm," he purred, sticking out his tongue and licking her lips.

"Fuck you!" Katerina spat, fear creeping into her voice, making it shudder.

"What was that?" Vaas snapped, his expression suddenly solemn and riled. He pursed his lips in disappointment and cocked his eyebrow, awaiting an answer. Vaas snarled and pulled out his gun. Katerina yelped at the chilling metal biting at her skin.

"Are you purposely trying to piss me off?" he growled.

Katerina shook her head quickly, barring her mouth together tightly but then wincing at the pain from her newly punctured lip. "No…" she croaked, tears swelling in her shiny eyes, and streaming down her cheeks. Vaas watched with curiosity as Katerina's lip trembled. She chocked on her muffled whimpers, and looked up to her capturer, pleading "Please..."

Vaas chuckled, his gun slowly colliding off her skin, "and what are you pleading for, eh? What do you fuckin' expect me to do chica? Hmm? Let you go?"

Katerina swallowed her whimpers and shook her head, tears flying from her face. Vaas chuckled again, though it was louder, and threw the gun behind him brashly. "So," he whispered, grasping viciously onto her chin, leaning his head closer to hers, "let's have a little fun, eh?" He laughed again, his thumb grazing the borders of her jaw.

Katerina interrupted, her voice dry and shaken from her whimpers, "I…"

Vaas pursed his lips and hissed, pressing his finger against Katerina's lips to silence her, "Shhh. Don't fuckin' speak. Shut up, and stop crying."

Katerina looked away as Vaas bowed his head beside her. She clenched her teeth in ire as the savage viciously trailed his tongue across her lip. Her eyes squeezed shut and she squealed quietly when his tongue roughly brushed against the gash in her lip. _Will this be the end of me? This will be the breaking of me._ Katerina thought, blinking her eyes quickly to eradicate the tears that strained to seep from her glassy eyes.

Without any warning, he took her viciously by the hips and flipped her around with one hand, so that she landed on her stomach with the ruthless animal on top of her. His violent movements were so quick and so abrupt that Katerina's head volleyed forwards and smashed against the wood of the floor. Her palm cupped her forehead as she groaned in pain, her head throbbing and shaking. Stars scattered over the blinding bright room and made her dizzy. Her eyes scanned the wooden floor, and it seemed to shake violently side to side. _Had an earthquake gone off, or something? _She asked herself, as she buried her throbbing head into the rough floorboards.

She heard the shrill horrific noise of Vaas unzipping his fly and trembled to the sickening sound of it. His fingers grazed against her spine and she quivered, digging her face into the floor and clawing at the floorboards. The was no other warning before he roughly seized her hips and hauled them towards him, viciously sheathing his body inside of hers in one quick, brutal thrust. She cried out, but silenced herself, biting down onto her bottom lip, ignoring the shower of blood that oozed from her mouth.

His hands grabbed hungrily at her body, at her stomach and up to her chest, were he wildly brushed of her bra and roughly groped at her breasts. Katerina clenched her jaw, whimpering silently through her teeth as Vaas roughly rocked her body like a savage animal, gripping her roughly by the hips and wrenching her closer to his body. She whimpered to the chilling growls and harsh grunts that echoed from his lips, and shivered at the hot sweat that dripped onto her back and ran down her waist. She studied the cracks in the floor; listened out for any footsteps outside. Gunshots, callous laughter, glass bottles shattering into pieces, vicious barks of fierce dogs, the rustling of trees, or the moan of the wind. Anything, to block out the ghastly groans of the ferocious cruel beast above her.

It had got to a point in which Katerina felt that she could not go on anymore. As if her body was going to collapse on her or wither up and disperse. She could barely hold up her head or bare the heavy weight on her shoulders. It felt like it had been going on for hours and hours, and she was fretful that it would never end, and all the time she was soundlessly pleading for it stop, holding in the whimpers and the screams and focusing on other things to try and block out what was happening to her. How was this happening to her? Why was the happening? One moment she was celebrating on her friend's yacht, sipping champagne and dancing to rubbish music from the radio but not giving a damn because she was having such a great time. Then it hurdled to this. Being abducted by a brutal, unpredictable psychopath slaver, drug smuggler, murder… or whatever he was, and being violated by him as if she was a machine without feeling or awareness, created only for his pleasure. It sickened her to think that she actually thought that this was not going to happen. Yes, she expected it at first. It was inevitable. He picked her like a lone rose in a garden shop, and chose to keep her. What else did he want her for? But nothing happened. She was beginning to think that the savage had a heart, or actually cared or had some compassion and humanity hidden somewhere inside of him. Wrong. She was so wrong. He was dangerous, he was brutal and he was cruel. There was nothing more to him than that.

At last the savage stopped, lightly kicking the girl's limp body to the floor with the side of his boot so that she flopped to the floor like a dead animal. He stood up, straightening his back, exhaling deeply and zipping his fly back up. He grinned, evil cackles seeping from his lips as he snapped the sweat from his brow. "Did you enjoy that?" he chuckled, glancing down at the girl who lay depleted beside his feet – she glared coldly at the cracks in the floorboards, barring her bloody lip shut and cradling her broken body into a ball. "It's okay," he snickered, brushing his fingertips through his Mohawk and fixing his clothes, "I need no words."

Katerina flinched and hugged her body, burying her face into the floorboards, desperately holding back the tears and whines.

"Well, ta ta Chica, I'm off, but I'll be back later," he declared, with a slight cadence to his call, sauntering towards the door. He opened the door but before stepping outside he spun round quickly, and warned coldly, pointing at Katerina as she nervously watched him at the door, "don't fuckin' go anywhere!" He held a serious mien for a moment, but he then collapsed into an explosion of deep laughter. His laughter continued as he slammed the door shut and raced down the steps, leaving Katerina in the shack. _No point running – he locked the door, of course._

To Katerina's own surprise she did not cry. Part of her wanted to, as it may aid to her suffering, but no tears showered her cheeks and no solemn whines filled the room. She remained cold and impassive as stone, though, she did not know why. Had Vaas broken her that easy? Was she now his obedient pet that submitted to his every order? She did not want to be, but did that prove that she wasn't?

Finally a tear escaped from her eye, and trickled down her reddened cheek, and it glistened in the light. She smiled as she sobbed silently. _I guess that proves that I'm not a machine. _She mused, sitting herself up and hugging her body softly. She wiped the tear from her cheek with the back of her hand and snivelled, swallowing anymore cries that didn't get their chance to escape. She inhaled heavily and reached for her underwear that had been lashed on the floor, and quickly shimmied into them. Her shorts, for whatever reason, where not in the room.

Katerina would have sworn that it was night but the golden sun still glowed through the window. It was then when she realised how hot it was, and how humid it was in this room. Sweat accumulated on her brow and on the back of her neck. She sighed and dabbed her skin with the back of her hand. Her mouth was a desert, and her lips were cracked like dry mud. How much she yearned for a drink. The horrific ordeal of today and the sweltering heat added to her thirst. She needed water. She then gaged and held her stomach. It churned and twisted painfully, and growled like a wild animal. She was starving. Katerina couldn't even recall having anything proper to eat before she got to the island - she had been distracted from it before but now it growled, demanding food, making Katerina faint and feel nauseous. Her thirst added to her hunger and made her light-headed.

Needing to concentrate on other things she quickly shook her head and crawled towards the shards of glass that were scattered on the floor. Using some leftover fabric from her torn t-shirt, she picked up the treacherous shards and brushed them into a corner. She then organised glass bottles, and put the chair back beside the table, and fixed Vaas' bed - throwing the red blanket over the bed and then patting out any creases in it. She stood up, shaking on her still aching feet, and admired her work.

Suddenly she fell faint again and plummeted to the floor, landing clumsily on her back. She grunted as she hit the floor and scrambled backwards until her back knocked against the wall. She sat motionless, glaring at the door opposite her. She sighed, scanning her eyes away from the doorway, and drew he knees up to her chest, now noticing the grazes on her legs, and burrowed her face into her arm, drenching it with more tears. She snivelled again, and shook her head. "No, I won't be beaten." She protested, wiping her eyes with her thumb, "I will not shed anymore tears for him. I won't." She winced, brushing her fingertips across her head that throbbed and burned. She could smell his sweat on her skin. It sickened her.


	13. Chapter Thirteen - Desperation

Night had overrun the day and the moon had replaced the sun and glowed beautifully behind the archway of trees outside. It was a quiet night. No animals were stirring and the pirates seemed calmer and more tranquil, compared to their normal loud, obnoxious behaviour that they projected - most likely due to too many drinks or an overdose of the drugs they were growing. No, tonight they were silent. Even the timid captives had silenced their solemn cries and the moans of the breeze was just a distant memory. It was a warm night. The air was humid and still.

Katerina had been waiting for Vaas' next move for hours. She had been sitting on the cold floor, for what felt like an eternity, waiting, inspecting her fingernails, probing at the new cuts on her legs and curling her knotted her in her fingers. But nothing had happened yet. She was beginning to think that nothing ever will. _Where is he?_ She thought, in frustration. She knew he was eventually going to show up, it was his room right? But why did he have to drag it out so that it became a dreaded torment? It had been dark for hours and still he hadn't shown his face. Why? It was becoming really aggravating for her. Yes, she didn't really want to see him, in fact she would rather stay away from him, he was an evil, barbaric, brutal monster and she hated him, but she was cooped in his room like a hopeless pet confined to a small dark cage, so she had no choice but to see him again. But why the drag? It was agonising waiting in dismay. She didn't want to be caught off guard. Hence why she refused to shut her eyes and hence was she locked her gaze on the horrid red door and listened carefully for any noises outside which could be him. Seriously, where was he? She began counting the minutes a few hours after it turned dark. She was up to 176. Four more minutes and it would be another three hours. "Why isn't he here?" she groused with sigh, lobbing her face into the palm of her hand, "He said that he would be back later, didn't he? That did mean today, right?"

"185," she sighed, tugging at the ends of the blue fabric that was swathed around her tender feet, "186."

Katerina had even refused to move from where she was left, only ever getting up to retreat to a dark little box room at the back of the shack which was the bathroom, which unfortunately was just a hole in the ground – though she did expect that, so wasn't too shocked about it.

Was he ever going to show? The night was dragging and still not a whisper, from anyone. Normally this would put someone at ease but it startled Katerina, and made her wary. But it came to a point where she couldn't stop her eyelids from falling, and when her head fell to her shoulder her body became limp, and she slowly faded away into a slumber.

She awakened startled, the golden glow from the sun blinding her. Her body jolted in fright and she fell to the side, timidly glancing over to Vaas' bed, where the horrid man himself sat with both elbows resting on his knees, glaring avidly at Katerina as she collapsed to the floor. Her knotted hair fell over her head like a curtain and shrouded parts of her face. Though, even beneath the clump of hair you could still see the slowly healing graze across her cheek, along with the purple and red circular mark on her forehead above her eye, and a small bruise on her cheek bone, and the split in her bottom lip which looked agonizing for her. Vaas couldn't help but vaguely frown at what was in front of him, though he swiftly shook it off with an unnerving, fiendish smile. Katerina snarled in a discreet manner, _why is it that he always shows up like that? _She bitterly thought to herself, as she slowly sat up – her arms shaking as she pushed them on the ground. Her whole body trembled and she winced, clenching her teeth to the pain that flowed around her body. To make it worst her throat was burning like a blaze, her stomach muscles were painfully twisting and scrunching due to her hunger, and her head felt like it was going to explode. She needed water, desperately, and food, she needed something to eat, anything. She feared that she would wither away into nothing soon, but was still very afraid to ask Vaas for anything. Instead she sat there, barring her lips shut, smothering her whines, patiently and obediently waiting for Vaas to say or do something that would determine her fate.

The room was silent. Katerina turned her head to look at Vaas and parted her lips to speak, but she got cold feet and quickly shut them before he took notice. She inspected the floorboards, studying the cracks and the rusty nails. She then sighed and gnawed anxiously at her fingernails.

"Don't your bite your nails!" Vaas suddenly snapped, making her flinch. She glanced over to him and lowered her hand obediently, subduing one hand with the other, and returning her attention back to the floor.

"Did you fuckin' clean up in here?" he asked bitterly, raising his eyebrow and glancing coldly around the room.

_Finally took notice then_, Katerina thought to herself. She hesitantly peered up at him, her warm hazel eyes glassy, and nodded with a faint smile emerging from the corners of her mouth.

He chuckled, rising to his feet, "what, so you're my fuckin' maid now, eh?"

Katerina frowned in desolation. What was she expecting? A thank you? Yes, the chances of some gratitude being shown were slim, but still, it would have been nice to see.

"I have a present for you!" Vaas suddenly declared, his voice bouncing with jest and delight, as he bounced towards the door.

Katerina quickly snapped her head up to look at him, and blurted out the first word that came to mind, "water?"

Vaas stopped, erupting into deep cackles, looking back to Katerina with his hand resting on the door handle.

"Water?" he chuckled, his chest quaking as he snickered in amusement. He shook his head and laughed some more- his laughter more brash and loud. "No, no," he chortled, swinging the door open with one hand and slowly strolling outside, "Water? Not fuckin' water. Ha."

Vaas was gone, leaving the door open as he left. She couldn't understand why he did that. Was he testing her? Katerina didn't want to risk escaping. She could hardly bear the strength to stand, never mind dashing out of the door and racing past Vaas, escalating the risk of being shot in the back of the head. She sighed, coughing against the back of her hand, her throat burning from how dry it was. She needed water. Her head pounded from dehydration and her body began to slowly sink into the floorboards as if it was quick sand. She needed water. She was desperate.

Katerina hadn't bothered to peer up from the floorboards when Vaas sauntered in. He stopped beside her, his heavy daunting black boots in Katerina's direct view. She shivered. Even the sight of his feet made her tremble, more now than ever. Vaas crouched beside her, a ravenous killer, but Katerina whipped her head to the side, avoiding eye contact with him and instead glared at the floor, trembling to the horrid gust of warm breath that was colliding against her neck and face.

"Look!" he declared in an odd jovial tone, "look what I brought you."

Swallowing her breath, Katerina turned her head and examined what he had brought. In his hand he held her black demin shorts, her eyes widened to the sight of them – she was convinced that he had thrown them away, well that was a relief.

"They dried in the sun," he said with a smile, but detecting that her expression had not changed, he scowled, growling, "What, don't you want them?"

Katerina gasped, shaking her head vigorously, then she gasped again squeezing her eyes shut. She quickly opened her eyes and nodded, but then shook her head again.

"Do you fucking want it or not? Do you think i'm fucking bullshitting you, or something?"

"No, no," she finally managed to mutter, her voice cracked due to her dry throat, "I mean, yes, no erm... thank you… Vaas."

Vaas clicked his tongue, and chuckled wickedly, jumping to his feet and tossing the shorts to Katerina once standing above her. Katerina awkwardly stepped into her shorts – still sitting on the ground – then peered up to look at Vaas.

"Vaas?" she nervously called, clearing her throat.

"What?"

"Please, can I... I need water."

Vaas chuckled, leaning against his table as he pulled out a cigarette and a match from the back pocket of the green jeans he wore, "Did I not give you water yesterday?"

"Well… hardly."

Vaas cocked an eyebrow and chuckled, with the cigarette in his mouth. He quickly scratched the match across the table and carefully brought the blaze to the tip of his cigarette. He shook the match so that the flame dispersed, and then he placed the used match in his pocket. He took hold of the cigarette with two fingers and took a long, deep drag, then slowly blew the grey smoke out from his lungs. Katerina coughed, and ran her tongue across her lip – the smoke made her throat burn. Was he doing this on purpose?

Vaas glanced down, and kicked the empty carton towards Katerina. She flinched, and frowned after studying the carton. It was empty. Not a single drop.

"No water left Chica."

"Vaas please."

Taking one more drag of the cigarette he ambled towards her, gently grasping her by the chin and hauling her to her feet. He took the cigarette from his mouth and blew the smoke behind his shoulder. He stroked her jaw delicately with his thumb. "Fine," he grunted, "let's fucking get you a drink then, since you need it so badly. Fuck i'm being too fuckin' nice these days."

"Thanks."

Vaas pursed his lips and pointed towards the door.

"Wait. We're going out."

"That's where the water is, and I'm not fuckin' getting it for you," he grunted, his tone was mocking her, but she didn't take much notice. Outside, she was going outside, when the sun was shining. She could almost feel the heat on her skin, and keenly strolled over to the door – momentarily ignoring the pain in her feet.

"Wait!" he snapped.

Katerina halted, waiting by the door, anxiously looking back to Vaas who still hadn't moved. She prayed that he hadn't changed his mind. She really needed a drink, and she yearned to be out in the sun, for even just a moment.

"You're not fucking going out like that." he warned, trudging over to his wardrobe and leaning his body inside. "Here." Leaning out of the wardrobe he chucked her a piece of red fabric. She was surprised that she actually caught it and silently mouthed "yes!" when she firmly snatched it in the air. She cocked an eyebrow at Vaas then glanced back down to what he had tossed her. She unfolded it and discovered it was a red tank top - one of _his_ red tank tops. Katerina clenched her teeth, did he expect her to wear that?

"I'm not having any of the men out there fuckin' eyeballing you like you belong to them, cus' you don't, you belong to me, you are mine, and I don't like sharing." "So you can wear that… can't recall the last time I wore that top specifically. Could have been last week, could have been last month, I don't fucking know, either way you're putting it on."

Katerina gritted her teeth, releasing a sigh before slipping the vest over her head. The smell hit her first – it smelt just like him. The thick, overwhelming scent of liquor, salt, and marijuana. Perfect. Now she would have his sickly scent flowing into her nose 24/7. Would she ever get a break from him? Though she didn't want to say it, she knew she had to, otherwise he could turn on her, maybe even kill her. "Thank you," she said politely, trying her best to paint a smile on her face. In truth she wanted to lob it back in his face, though she wanted to do a lot of things that were impossible to do - and would result in her getting killed.

He marched over to her, his face stuck in a scowl. He took her by the arm and pushed her backwards, away from the door. She now stood behind him, and he shadowed over her, as if he the baleful pirate was guarding her… or blocking her, preventing her from going anywhere but where he wanted to go.

"When we go out Kat, you will not talk to anybody, no, no, no, no, you won't even look at anybody, got it? You will remain in my shadow, so don't even think about going anywhere else. Disobey me and I will put a fucking bullet in your head, okay?"

Katerina nodded, her body juddering slightly from the shooting pain in the soles of her feet, and the tone of his voice.

"Grab that carton and lets go." he ordered.

Katerina nodded, quickly scrambling to the carton and coiling her arms around it – hugging the carton into her chest. Hastily she bowed her head, and scurried to be beside Vaas, as he ordered. She patiently waited for him to open the door, saliva building up in her mouth as she studied the carton.

"Kat, don't fucking disappointment me."


	14. Chapter Fourteen - Water Jugs

**Hi, i'm here with a new chapter :D In this chapter i've tried something a little different with how I portray Kat's emotions, by making her thought dialog a little more common. I would love to know if you think his works well and if you liked the chapter, so please review as it is much appreciated. :D x**

**Like always, thank you so much for giving this a read! Enjoy ~**

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As Vaas opened the door, the yellow light from outside shined into Katerina's golden orbs, blinding her for a few seconds, until she adjusted to the light contrast. _Gosh, it's bright!_ Katerina thought, as she eagerly peered outside, _I guess it shows how dark it is in here. Fucking hell Vaas needs more windows in here. Or a better light at least. _Katerina gently bit down anxiously onto the side of her lip, trying to avoid the gash engraved in her flesh, and squirmed anxiously on her feet – movements that a child would do when hungrily awaiting the rewards that their parents or guardians had promised to fetch for him or her. She continued to bob up and down, giving Vaas' back a piercing, irked glance. Rolling her eyes she thought in frustration, _Ugh, can you just move out the way? Please? Please, please Vaas just move, you're blocking the sunshine with your stupid fat head! Well… it's not a fat head. Far from it. I guess it's not stupid either. Ugh, shut up Kat. Vaas, can we go please? Please? _"While the sun is still shining."

Katerina froze, and clamped her mouth shut – her hazel eyes wide and wary. _You never speak your thoughts aloud Kat, never, never, never! Fuck! Why do I have to be so stupid? Great, he's not going to let me go out now, I'm going to die in here – in the dark. He's going to shut that door and never let me see the sunshine again, and then I'm going to die. Die from dehydration and starvation because it's highly likely, no, almost definite, that he won't bring me anything. He will leave me with nothing because I'm so ignorant and impatient. Fuck, why must I blurt out everything I think? Why am I such an idiot!_ _Bye sun! Bye cruel life! No, fuck you life! You did this to me, you fucking bitch! Damn it, I really wanted to go out! No, I really need a drink. Please, honestly, I'm going to shrivel up and die if I do not get some water. Fuck!_

Vaas' shoulders trembled from his low, growling laughter, and then his head turned, and he glared at Katerina with jest flooding in his hypnotic, brown eyes. "What?" he chuckled, stretching his mouth into a wide grin – bearing his crystal white teeth. Katerina gloomily peeked up to glimpse up at him. She raised an eyebrow slightly once she began inspecting his teeth. _Wow!_ She mused, completely oblivious that Vaas had just asked her an important question, _his teeth! For a pirate he has some immaculate teeth. So straight and perfect and so, so white! My teeth aren't even that perfect. Great…now I don't want to speak. He'll snarl at how terrible my teeth are compared to his – and my teeth aren't even terrible, they're fine! How are his teeth that perfect?_

"Hello!" he called, – his voice bouncing with amusement – snapping his fingers in Katerina's face. She flinched and shook her head, blinking several times to return herself to reality. Bashfully she glanced back up, with her lips barred together.

"Where you trying to provoke me chica?" he whispered with a scornful sneer, "or was you just trying to be funny?"

"None. I… I don't even know why said it, sorry."

He chuckled once more, shaking off his shoulders and leisurely stepping outside, and trotting haughtily down the uneven wooden steps of his shack. Katerina smiled, secretly, as she swiftly scurried behind him, trying her hardest to keep up with his quick movements. Her arms wrapped securely around the plastic carton she had hugged to her chest, and she kept her grip tight, like a mother with her child – this was the one most important thing to her right now, remember, she desperately needed that water.

The fresh humid jungle air surrounded Katerina like steaming hot water from a bath, relaxing her aching muscles and unblocking her clogged mind. She felt good to finally be outside. Katerina scrunched her nose and stuck her face in a discreet scowl as she glared at the floor. She felt a sickly sort of comfort to be close to him like this, she felt that she was safe, and that she was protected when he was beside her – no other pirates would harm her this way, as he was their leader and he made it clear that she was _his_. Was it wrong for her to feel that way? She shook her head vigorously. Of course it was. Why was she feeling these outlandish, contemptible feeling towards the man that harmed her? She shook her head again. There were no feeling. She only felt safe around him – in a strange, peculiar sort of way. That was all. She sighed, _I better not be developing fucking Stockholm syndrome. If I am I'm fucked and might have to shoot myself._

Katerina was not blind to what she was wearing. Her black demin shorts were quite short, and did draw added attention to her plump bottom and also, did not conceal her flawless legs, which were even more noticeable in the sun. She was thankful that the top she was wearing this time was not wet and see-through, and that she wasn't left in just her bra like when she escaped– yet, it was dark that time – which meant that she was more concealed. However, Vaas was much taller, and his torso was wider and much more robust than Katerina's, so obliviously Vaas' red tank top did not fit her well. It fell too low, so that the top of her black bra could been seen, and the straps fell of her shoulders. It did not hide her. Luckily, the carton she embraced was quite large, and she hugged it closely to help hide her chest – she really didn't want the other pirates gawking at her like a treasured prize for them to leap on. _Was Vaas actually being kind when he handed me this? _She pondered to herself as she hobbled behind him_. It was being used to help conceal most parts of my body, and it meant that the other barbaric pirates wouldn't glare at me with open mouths, with drool escaping from the corner of their lips._ Katerina inhaled, and the sickly scent of Vaas flooded her nose again. _No, no… he was still a dick._

Katerina whimpered soundlessly as she reluctantly dragged her aching feet across the ground. The dry dirt and the rigid, bristly yellow grass clawed callously at the soles of her feet as she gently treaded on it – like a vicious animal who would attack anyone who scurried past. Without warning Vaas came to halt, and Katerina – being too distracted by the pain that the ground was inflicting onto her – ineptly knocked into his body, nearly dropping the carton onto the floor. All other pirates suddenly stopped chattering away, and stopped cleaning their barbaric, black weapons and instead glared at the girl who clumsily rammed her body into their leader. Vaas looked up at them and snarled, "What the fuck are you gawking at, eh?" he snapped. Already the pirates went back to work, picking up used plates and polishing guns, "get the fuck back to your work!" Vaas barked, glancing down to Katerina, who stood with uncertainty on her aching feet. "Sorry," she muttered, burrowing the carton into her chest.

Vaas quickly took her by the chin and yanked her head to left, so that she glared at a mudded path that was surrounded by towers of crates at bottles, opposite her. Here wild, pastel green bushes grew chaotically and vines stretched their arms across to every piece of emaciated furniture, tangling their vines around the suffocated objects. At the end of the stretching path were several large blue jugs that messily mounted on withered wooden tables, with white spigots attached to their faces. Water! Never in all of Katerina's life had she been so relieved to see that special, sacred clear liquid. Her mouth grew moist to the sight of it. She need it, she need it now.

"Go fetch me some more water, yeah?" Vaas ordered, patting her gently on her shoulder, "and you can indulge on as much of it as you want. Okay?"

Katerina nodded, hypnotised by the precious, life-saving jugs of water. "Only go there. Do not go anywhere else." He warned, his voice stern and cold. "I will be standing…" he took her by the arm and spun her around, whistling and pointing to a group of pirates that buried their heads into a table – engrossed on whatever paperwork that was scattered on the desk – "over there. Watching. So don't try and fuckin' run off again, okay Kat. Otherwise, I'm afraid I will have to shoot you. Talk to or eye anyone and again, I'm afraid I will have to shoot you, okay? Now, you're not going to disappoint me, are you chica?"

Katerina shook her head, "no." she replied boldly, glancing up into his brown eyes.

Vaas grinned, and patted her, like a pet, on her cheek and quickly ambled towards the pirates he pointed to, that were only a few yards away.

_Okay, it not far away. I can easily do this. Easy! Just gotta' keep my mouth shut and keep my eyes locked only on the water and I'm fine. Easy! Easy!_

Katerina kicked her feet, and rushed towards the path, scurrying through the archway of broken crates and tangled vines, towards the water jugs. Her eyes grew wide as she glared at the crystal clear water that filled the jugs. It was unbelievable on how lucky she felt at this moment. Vaas had actually allowed her to go off on her own to get water. On her own! Without him there beside her, trapping her in his strong hold. Yet… he was still watching. But things could only get better, right? Katerina hoped that they would anyway.

Carefully, Katerina unscrewed the plastic container she had hold of and rested it beneath the mouth of the white spigot. She turned the spigot and watched in wonder as water bubbles bobbed to the top of the water as the volume decreased. Her tongue raced across her dry lips as the water flooded into her container. She held it carefully, ensuring that no drop was spilt. She had to do this right – not wanting to displease the potent pirate who was watching. When the container was full she brought it to her lips and drank. The water rushed down her throat and flushed across her lips, taking the dryness and burning rawness away with it. She drank and drank until she felt sick. When she parted the container from her mouth she licked her lips, snatching any droplets of cold water that clung to her skin, and then she refilled the container until it was full again, screwing the top tightly on. Done. She was done. That was easier than she thought. Again she felt that she could stand properly and her head relaxed and retreated closer to normality. Though… she was still hungry, starving in fact.

Currently, Vaas was looking away, absorbed in an argument of some sort with the pirate that stood beside him. The snapped at each other, pointing angrily at the papers on the table, though the pirate was reluctant to raise his voice or argue much more with Vaas. Katerina giggled at that. It amused her. He was powerless. Vaas was the only one with the mouth on this island, and the crushed pirate knew it.

It was secluded here. The crates and bushes stopped anyone from peering inside this place. Could Vaas even see her from her? As Katerina stretched her legs out to retreat closer to Vaas' view she tripped, stumbling over her feet, dropping the jug of water she had hugged to her chest – watching it roll to the floor. A figure came behind her and rushed to the jug, stopping it with his callous, black boot. Katerina reluctant looked up, tightly crossing her arms against her chest. A pirate stood in front of her, a frightening wicked grin glued to his disgusting, barbaric face. Katerina lifted her head to peer for Vaas, but the pirate was blocking her view. He was close to her, too close.

"Hello gorgeous what are you doing out here, shouldn't you be with everyone else." The pirate didn't even let her respond and continued, his lips dripping with callous venom, "oh well. Means I can have your ass all to myself."

"Don't touch me! You'll be sorry!" Katerina muttered, shuffling backwards.

The pirate circled her, like a shark, sniggering and scanning her with hungry eyes. He suddenly jolted towards her and smacked his hand rudely across her ass, so that she sprung up into the air – releasing a small squeal as her body flinched.

"Fuck off!" she barked, stumbling backwards.

"What did you say to me you little bitch!"

Before Katerina couldn't even think about what do next he was on top of her, ramming her to the ground with his enraged body, snaking his hands across her body as she squirmed beneath. He was heavy, and she did not have the strength to fight him. His fist smashed against her jaw. Katerina yelped, a vast amount of blood pouring from the recent gash in her cheek and her lip. She tried to quickly scramble away, clawing at the ground with her fingernails and lurching her body to tunnel through the dry dirt. A callous hand darted to Katerina's head, in which it ruthlessly snatched a curtain of her matted hair and tugged at it viciously, so that her head lifted from the ground. Then the pitiless pirate delivered another brutal blow to her. She yelped again as more warm blood oozed from her burning skin on her throbbing face.

"I'm going to fuck you baby," he growled, he hands abruptly trailing up Vaas' shirt that she worn, "and you're going fuckin' enjoy you little cunt!"

Never in her life had she heard something so evil. Normally this was only heard in violent movies or bad tv shows. With them you can easily switch it off when things became too uncomfortable or too much to witness, but this was real, and it was happening to her, now. She could not let this happen to her again, especially not by this barbaric, repulsive monster.

Feeling that she could do nothing else she screamed as loud as she could, jolting her body as she released her penetrating shriek of panic. Though her screech only lasted a second, as the pirate quickly smashed his palm against her lips with one hand, and yanking the rim of her shorts with another. Katerina lifted her hand to his face and clawed at his skin, biting at the palm of his hand and screaming, kicking her heels into the muddy ground. The pirate went for her neck, coiling his rough fingers around her skin and tightening his malicious grasp. Katerina rolled her eyes to the back of her skull as she felt herself slipping away. Tears brimmed her eye lashes as the monster yanked the shorts from her body, his jagged nails scratching against her skin. Katerina gasped for breath as his grip loosened around her neck, yet still it stayed tight. Katerina squeezed her eyes shut, pleading in her thoughts, _please let it be quick._

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**Enjoyed this chapter? What do you think is going to happen next? Please, leave a comment to tell me your thoughts xx Thank you so much for reading this FanFic, as always I am very grateful that your giving it a read :)**


	15. Chapter Fifteen - Insanity

Bang! The shrill, chilling echo of a gunshot echoed through the humid air and bounced of the withered wooden shacks in the camp. The air fell silent, as if the whole world had stopped spinning at that moment. Nothing could be heard, there was no wind, no cries from animals – or people – just nothing. Perhaps the world had stood still. Perhaps not.

The vile pirate that had thrashed his repulsive, grimy body onto Katerina and leapt to his feet. He took the bandana that was attached to his belt and used it to wipe his brow that dripped with hot sweat. He stood there, his body hunched and low, timidly twisting the bandana in his fists as Katerina lay beneath him – gasping for breath and holding back her whimpers. Her face was covered in her blood that had even seeped to her neck and onto Vaas' shirt. Her shorts were tangled around her ankles, trembling and sniffling she lent down to reach for them and shimmied into them, still on the floor, with the dry grass swathing around her legs, pinning her to ground and keeping her locked in an embrace. She refused to look up, and instead glared at the pallid grass, and crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

"V…boss," the repulsive pirate finally stuttered, still twisting the bandana in his sweaty hands, "erm… I…"

"So, was you unaware of the girl's situation? Eh?" His voice was sharp and vicious and clearly irritated. It appeared that he was attempting to swallow his anger and try and keep calm as his voice was cracked and shaken – but this was due to fury alone. His voice was definitely imitating. It was frightening, and the look painted on the sweating pirate's face supported this. Every word, every syllable, was sending shivers up his skin and making his body jolt. Katerina even quivered to the shrill sound of it.

It was Vaas, of course. Katerina let out a shaken sigh of relief once she heard his voice. She had never thought that she would be so glad and grateful to see or hear him – or have him near. She thought that she would always wish to be away from him, not be thankful that he was close by. If he didn't show up… well, she didn't even want to imagine what would have happened. Though, she only wished he showed up sooner, but, she couldn't ask for the world, not in her position anyway.

"Did you not know," Vaas continued, his tone growing with rage, and it oddly even trembled with minor hilarity, "not to touch other people's things? Eh?" His temper was escalating, and his voice intensified dynamically, to a point where he was almost screaming at the pirate. He continued, stepping closer, shaking his hand in the air, chuckling as he moved. "More importantly! Did you not fuckin' know…" his voice was a hostile, livid scream now - a screech that was so frightening, that even the grass began to wither. To Katerina, it felt that the ground was shaking due to the horrific thunder that was his voice. She trembled to the sound, and squeezed her eyes shut, mentally trying to block out the distressing roar. "That no one, not fucking anyone! Touches, my fuckin' things! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Did you not fuckin' now that? Is it not clear to you? Is this fuckin' gibberish, am I speaking nonsense? Hey? Well fuckin' answer me you little prick! It will be pathetic to label you as a pirate. Look!" he pointed at him, laughing and waving his hands to the sky – obviously mocking the shaken pirate, "here he fuckin' is! A pirate! Yes, this is who we should fear, a fuckin' lump of meat that sweats like a fuckin' pig, and fuckin shakes when you ask him a simple fucking question! Ha ha! This is what we have! These are our pirates! This is who my men are!" "Is it?" Vaas stalked over to him, like a predator – his eyes growing with hunger and ire – and stood beside Katerina, his hard, striking combat boots beside her shoulder. The shaken pirate stumbled backwards, now, to her relief, further away from Katerina. Vaas looked the pirate directly into his pale eyes and bitterly asked, "Is it? Is that what I want from my men?"

"No."

"Great, then fuckin' answer my question!"

"Vaas look, I'm so, so, deeply sorry. I didn't know that the bitch was yours."

"Don't!" Vaas clenched his fists in the air and squeezed his eyes shut – an expression that any person would so when someone playfully throws an invisible object in their face, or when someone spoils an episode of Game of Thrones, or something to similar to that. He inhaled deeply, almost whistling through his gritted teeth. His eyes sprang open and he barked, "Don't be so fuckin' rude. She's right here." He gestured to Katerina with his hand and chucked.

"Vaas, I'm so sorry man. I would have never of touch that b… never have touch her if I knew she was yours. Boss I know to never touch your things. If I knew, I wouldn't have even looked at her. I just thought she was one the others. So, I'm sorry boss."

Vaas glared at him for a moment. Not speaking, not blinking not even breathing. Then suddenly he shook his head and beamed, a serene, courteous smile – as if nothing had just happened. They both laughed and Vaas patted his shoulder, consoling the pirate in a pleasant tone, "don't even worry about it amigo, you didn't know right?"

"Right!"

They both laughed. Vaas scratched his nose and shooed him away with a hand gesture.

The pirate smiled and confidently ambled away, his shoulders back and his back straight again.

"Hermano!" Vaas suddenly called.

The pirate spun around to face his leader and smiled, "yeah Vaas?"

"Come here."

The pirate's grin dropped but he still sauntered over to his leader – as he knew that you never, never defy your leader, especially if the leader was as crazy, and ruthless and unpredictable as Vaas. But perhaps that meant not obeying his order would be more sensible…

Vaas chuckled and gestured for the pirate to come even closer. Katerina tensed as the pirate shuffled his feet through the grass to be besides Vaas, and unfortunately besides her too.

"What's wrong boss?"

Vaas only chuckled before swiftly pulling out his knife and plunging it into the pirate's neck. With the other hand, Vaas detained his head, as he pirate choked on his own thick suffocating blood that spurted from his mouth. Katerina watched terrified, with her mouth open wide. Vaas looked at the pirate in the eyes - his pale empty eyes - his face scrunching up into an angered scowl, before releasing him – hauling his knife out from his flesh so that he flopped to the ground like a lump of meat, just as Vaas previously described. Katerina lunged her body away before the dead pirate smashed against the ground. She yelped once the piece of meat crashed into the rigid bed of dry grass.

Katerina glared at the dead man that lay a few feet away from her, her heart pounding – ready to burst from her chest. Her breath quickened as she continued to look at it. She gritted her teeth and steadied her breathing – as tears began to swell in her eyes. Vaas clicked his tongue and crouched beside her, hovering next to her like an animal, a predator. He wiped his blade on the grass beside him, exhaling loudly – portraying his irritation. "You know," Vaas breathed, his voice still incensed, "I thought that I…"

Suddenly, Katerina rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his robust body and burying her face into his chest, exploding into a thunderous shower of tears and wails. Vaas glared at her, bewildered. What had just happened? His arms were raised in confusion and hesitation on what to do. Katerina waited for Vaas to abruptly push her of him and scream at her– the thought scratched at the back of her mind like an insect. But something entirely different happened. Vaas lowered his arms and wrapped them around her juddering body, hugging her gently to him. Was this really happening? Was Vaas allowing this to happen? Was the crazy, ruthless and unpredictable pirate lord allowing this girl to shower him with her tears? And was he comforting her? Katerina couldn't even believe it, but still she continued to cry. Her head buried further into his chest – even though it hurt her like hell - so that her wails became muffled and faint.

The pirate lord then spoke, angelic whispers of comfort, "shhh," he soothed, his voice soft and calming – a sweet sound that you would never expect to glide from his lips - "come on Katerina, I know your stronger than this. The worse didn't happen. Shhh, your fine. Come on Kat, amada, stop crying now."

She wanted to do what he said, but she couldn't. She had been so frightened, and she had to let these horrid feeling of anguish flush away. She also didn't want to lift her head – Vaas would be disappointed on how she lacked to defend herself. She was disappointed in herself. She couldn't believe she had to rely on Vaas to _rescue_ her. She couldn't believe she was thinking that word. Rescue. Who would have known that it was possible to put that word and Vaas' name in one sentence? Vaas rescuing her. She giggled soundlessly beneath her tears, _I guess Vaas really is unpredictable._ She thought as she continued to sob, her tears sinking through his shirt and onto his skin. _Was he really allowing me to cry into his chest? Was I really crying into his chest? Why was I doing this? What drove me to this? What entity plucked at the strings in my brain, to make me leap onto Vaas and… cry into him? This was insanity._

Two hands gently cupped the sides of Katerina's beaten face and lifted her from Vaas' chest. Vaas held her face in his palms and frowned. "I thought I told you not to talk to anyone," he sighed with a smile.

"I didn't." Katerina quickly objected, his voice cracked from her whines.

"I know, I know, calm down. Don't hurt yourself…anymore."

Vaas sighed and so did Katerina. She sulked, wincing at the pain in her face, it still continued to bleed and Katerina just began to notice that. She gaged and rushed her hand to her nose.

"Fuck!" Vaas spat, hauling Katerina to her feet as she bowed her head in the direction of the floor, blood dripping from her face onto the grass. "No! No!" Vaas snapped, shaking his head and lifting her head upwards. "You've fuckin' busted your nose…"

"I didn't…"

"Shut up and keep your head up. Pinch your nose here." Taking Katerina's hand he directed her to the bridge of her nose, in which she did as instructed. He then quickly ripped off his shirt and crumpled it into a ball, and gently placed it over her nose. She yelped but grasped the shirt anyway, and kept it pressed against her nose. "Keep that there to stop the bleeding," he ordered, his voice low and stern. He smiled and said in a jollier tone, "you already got blood on it."

She tried to laugh but only managed to muster a small, silent snigger that was overpowered by a yelp of pain. Vaas grimaced, his eyebrows arching over his eyes as he bit onto his tongue. "Fuckin' hell." He muttered under his breath, as he began marching away. "Stay there!" he called, his voice still riled and displeased. Where would she go?

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**O.o Enjoyed this chapter? Did you expect the sudden acts of compassion to come from Vaas? Please tell me in the comments! :D ****Like always thank you all for reading! Love you all! xx**


	16. Chapter Sixteen - Painkiller

**Hi! I'm here again, with another chapter! The reviews, follows, favs and views keep rising and honestly, that makes me so happy! You don't understand how grateful I am, so thank you! Please, keeps the reviews, favs, follows and views coming! Love you all! xx**

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Katerina felt sick. The thick humid air that surrounded her, clung to her skin like wet clothes, and made her body heavy. The air was no longer as indulgent as a hot bath, but clammy and suffocating. It wasn't even sunny, it was just warm – the annoying kind of warm. A horrid heat that is so annoying and useless, that you just wish that it was cold as that somehow would be much, much better. To make it worse, her stomach churned and twisted, painfully scrunching the muscles in her gut, and the blood that was oozing from her wounds made her gag, and made her head tremble from dizziness. She hated having nose bleeds – she was thankful that it was rare for her to have one. Experiencing one gave her a deadly urge to vomit - it made her sick. She hated it. Another thing she could hardly tolerate: waiting, she hated waiting like this. Why did she always have to wait on her own? Why couldn't he just take her with him? Where did Vaas go, anyway?

Her eyes scanned over to the dead body that was swamped in the rigid dry grass. _He got what he deserved_, she thought bitterly, lowing the blood-stained top from her nose and scowling angrily at the bulky body. _Fuckin' asshole. Pig! I'm happy that Vaas disposed of you._ _I wish I'd done it. Am I just a pathetic coward now? I should have killed you myself. I wish I had. _

"What the fuck are you doing?" a familiar voice snapped. Katerina peered up, a small grin stretching at the corner of her bloody mouth - it was Vaas. Who else would it have been? Katerina couldn't tell if her saviour was addressing her in a humorous tone or a hoarse, irritated one. Sometimes there was never a difference in his tone of voice. "Put that back on your nose!" he barked, sauntering over to her, scratching at the side of his nose and scanning behind him as he got closer, "do you want to fuckin' bleed to death?"

Katerina couldn't help but chuckle as she placed the shirt back to her nose. _That's bit dramatic Vaas,_ she thought as she continued to grin to herself. As Vaas walked over to Katerina he had hauled another top over his head – probably quickly darted back up to his room to fetch one. He didn't have nothing else with him. Did he really only go away to change into something? What if she _had_ bled to death?

His hand reached out to touch her. She gasped once he seized her arm and dragged her behind him. He wasn't being as rough and abrupt as he normally did, but still his movements were sharp. Did he forget that she had just been smashed multiply of times in the face?

He quickly led her back out of the twisted vines and the archway of crates, and led her up a path, staying away from open areas and keeping close to the hidden routes beside the wild bushes and subsiding shacks made of metal and wood. They reached a small shack – it was hidden away from all the others and was secluded on its own. Katerina actually felt nervous, and shuffled on her feet as she waited for Vaas to unlock the metal door that was lazily painted in black paint that was grimy and was peeling away.

Inside was a table and desk, littered with numerous papers and pens. There was also an ashtray on the table and surrounding it was grey ash that had gushed onto the table but also fluttered to the floor. The chair beside it was a blue armchair that was cushioned but withered and frayed. There was other things in here too, like metal drawers, a pile of books and a lush green plant in the corner – Katerina was surprised to that.

"Welcome to my office!" Vaas sang, waving his hand and guiding Katerina inside with his arm wrapped around her, "it's one of my shitter ones I must admit. Needs remodelling, you know? Hate being in here, but… it's quiet and no one comes here to disturb me that much so it's passable." His tone was again gleeful. Katerina could relax again now.

"Didn't know you had an office," Katerina muttered, her words cracked and muffled due to her injuries.

"Of course I do. I have a lot of fuckin' shit to do you know, I don't just laze around all day doing jackshit, and I don't really want all my work piled up in my room. Plus, you're in my room now so… can't have you rummaging through my stuff. And with that, while you're here, don't go fuckin' snooping."

"Not really in the mood for snooping."

Vaas laughed, and steered her towards the blue chair and sat her down in it. She lifted her head and glanced to the ceiling, pressing the shirt against her face_. When is this galling bleeding going to stop?_

Vaas retreated into an inner room at the back, but was only gone a moment and soon marched back in, with a bowl of water in his hands - with a rag floating in the centre of the clear glistening liquid – he also had a first aid box under his arm. He placed the bowl and first aid on the table – after shoving the papers aside - and rushed over to the corner of the room to snatch a wooden stool that had been chucked in the corner. He picked it up, swaying it in his fingers as he strolled over to Katerina, and placed the stool beside her, lobbing himself onto the wooden surface.

"We get a lot of busted noses around here," he sighed, prying the bloody shirt from Katerina's grasp, "so lucky for you, no doctor is needed." How was it lucky for her?

Vaas reached for the rag in the bowl and squeezed the water out of it with one hand. Katerina winced every time the rag touched her throbbing skin, but she was surprised that Vaas was being so gentle. This was Vaas wasn't it? It wasn't someone else?

"Is it really hurting that fuckin' bad?" Vaas snapped, pulling the rag away and waiting for Katerina to respond. Katerina wanted to say no but that would be a lie, every movement of her face made her skin sting and itch, and every time the rag touched it, and the water seeped into the wounds, her skin tightened and burned. The water was making her wounds burn. Katerina thought that water was supposed to extinguish a blaze and cool the heat, not burn. Katerina grimaced, tightening her face, and nodded, glaring at the floor.

Vaas' hot breath hit Katerina liked a gush of rough wind. Katerina didn't even release Vaas had got up until he sunk back into the stool, waving a pill beside her mouth.

"What's that?" Katerina asked, her voice high and cracked from suspicion.

"Painkiller."

"What painkiller?"

"Does it matter? It will help the pain. Do you fuckin' want it or not? I don't have to give it to you."

Katerina continued to glare at him with uncertainty but took the pill anyway, holding the yellow, rounded pill in her palm, inspecting it – reluctant to put it into her mouth. She then glared up the small glass of water Vaas had pushed towards her, and grasped onto it hesitantly, her fingers coiling around the damp glass, with her golden eyes scanning back down at the pill. Vaas chuckled, his chest quaking as he watched her inspect the tablet.

"Fuckin' hell Kat just take it. It's oxy."

"Oxycodone?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I've had that before." She smiled, and lifted the pill to her lips, placing it on her tongue, "Thanks."

"When you've had it though, it's only been five, ten, maybe fifteen milligrams. That one is forty."

"What!" Katerina chocked, as the pill slid down her throat. She coughed, bowing her head to floor.

"Fuck Kat, drink some more water and fuckin' swallow it, it's not going to fuckin' kill you."

Katerina coughed again, bringing the water to her lips – the glass quaking in her hand. Vaas chuckled again, knocking back a yellow pill for himself – not needing the water.

"Why did you give me that? People get addicted to that!"

"I know."

Katerina grasped her throat and stroked her fingers against in, still coughing silently. Vaas stretched his body over the table to reach for the rag, and drowned it in the water - crushing the rag tightly with his hand, so that the water rushed through his fingertips and back into the bowl. He brought the wet rag to Katerina's face and dabbed her skin again, brushing the fabric against her nose. This time she didn't wince.

"See. Feel better now?" he teased, stretching his words out sarcastically.

Katerina laughed, giggling like a child, "can't feel a thing!" she said chirpily, fluttering her eyes as she looked up at him. "What are you doing?" she asked mischievously, her voice now calm and serene. She laughed, beaming and showing her teeth, with her eyes unwilling to stay focused on one spot. Vaas ignored her question, and just shook his head.

"You're lucky amada!" Vaas howled, his voice bouncing with jest, as he wiped the blood from her skin, "your nose isn't busted! It will only leave a mark at the top of your nose. I guess it just bled that much from the impact. How fuckin' lucky are you! Are you glad?"

"Very."

"You should be. Imagine if you broke your nose, and it was all disfigured and shit. You may not have been as pretty."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Ha! Babe, your fuckable, that's the only compliment that's going to seep from my lips." Katerina pouted her lips and frowned, glaring up at Vaas playfully. "But when I say that," Vaas continued, now dabbing the cloth on her cheek, "it means that you're pretty. If you weren't chica, then I wouldn't have kept you for myself, would I? Thought you were smart enough to notice that."

"I just wanted to hear you say it," she giggled, sticking out her tongue from her lips.

Vaas laughed, shaking his head as he dunked the rag back in the water. As Vaas dabbed the rag on Katerina's skin, she fidgeted and giggled. Vaas exhaled, his hot breath blowing through Katerina's hair, he clicked his tongue and muttered, "You're a fuckin' lightweight."

"What?"

"You're already fuckin' high. Your eyes are all over the place and you're laughing for no fuckin' reason. Lightweight. Don't get used to this shit, those pills aren't cheap. I can get good money off them. Not wasting my money on you."

The wet rag collided off Katerina's skin. "Done, with that." Vaas muttered, tossing the rag back in the water, and reaching for the first aid box.

"What are you doing now?" Katerina asked, roguishly wedging her body into the table and flicking the hair form her face.

Vaas gave no reply, not wanting to bother with her childlike humour. He took out a clean, white cloth from the first aid box along with a small bottle of alcohol. He doused the cloth with the strong smelling alcohol, grinding his teeth as he tipped the bottle. Katerina watched with dread, scrunching her nose from the strong, burning smell of alcohol.

"Sit still." Vaas warned as he patted the cloth against her wounds. Her body lurched when he touched her. Vaas pulled the cloth away and snarled. Katerina hunched her back and beamed innocently, "sorry, it was cold..." she mumbled, "and it kinda' hurt a little bit. Only a bit though."

Vaas sighed, sucking his teeth as he dabbed the soaked cloth at the other wound in her cheek and lip – Katerina couldn't help but jerk when he touched her lip. Finally he pulled it away and slammed the first aid box shut after lobbing the cloth and alcohol back inside. "Done." He barked, chucking the first box beside his feet, "it should only take about four days, five days for you to heal properly."

"Do I look awful?" Katerina sighed, twiddling her thumbs and allowing a clump of tangled hair to fall over her face. Vaas just shrugged which wasn't reassuring. A simple "no" would have be fine.

"When was the last time you ate?" Vaas suddenly asked, his eyes locked on the cracks in the table. He swivelled a cigarette in his fingertips – Katerina hadn't even noticed that he had got one out. Katerina shrugged and pursed her lips, sinking her body into the chair – most of her hair now draped over her face.

"So do you not fuckin' want anything to eat then?" Vaas continued, scratching a match against the table while his cigarette rested securely in his lips.

Katerina shot up, her restless breath hitting Vaas' bronzed, coarse skin. "Yes! I'm starving!"

Vaas cocked an eyebrow at her, holding the bright, orange flame beside his lips, not yet letting it hit his cigarette. Katerina slunk back into the chair and squinted her eyes. She bit onto her lip and flicked the hair from her face. "Please," she whispered alluringly, chuckling under her breath, stretching out her neck so that her face nearly collided with his. Vaas only laughed, taking a drag of his cigarette and holding the smoke in his lungs.

Katerina smashed her head against the back of the cushioned chair and sighed, drawing her knees up to her chest. "Why do you smoke?" she asked, picking at the dirt in her nails as she watched him for an answer. The same innocence and ignorance would glide from the mouth of a child – asking why the sky is blue and why birds fly.

"Cus' I fuckin' want to." He sighed, blowing out a gust of grey smoke, aiming the thick mist at his boots. "It calms me."

"Vaas, I'm hungry."

Vaas chuckled at her childlike tone, and took one last drag of his cigarette before mashing it into his silver ash tray. He slowly rose from the chair, blowing the smoke out form his lungs over his shoulder.

"Move your fuckin' ass then. Unless you want to stay here?"

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**O.o What did you think? Tell me in with a comment/review! I just wanna say that i'm only writing this due to my huge obsession with Vaas, and how I have the biggest crush on him - he's awesome. I'm sure you all agree, yes? (^.^) Thanks for giving it a read! And don't worry, it will be picking up very soon... You're all amazing!**


	17. Chapter Seventeen - Playing Games Now?

Vaas watched with amusement as Katerina sluggishly hauled her body up from the chair – with her brunette hair hanging messily over her face like a veil. Vaas chuckled as she slowly dragged her feet across the floorboards, towing one foot in front of the other until she reached Vaas – who stood with his arms crossed, observing her with a grin painted on his face.

"Are you sure you want something?" he teased, arching his back so that his face was in direct view of hers. He laughed, tracing his tongue across his lips as he examined her for an answer. Katerina slowly lifted her head, and pouted before smiling – racing her tongue across her teeth. Vaas lifted his head when she done that, and shook his head, swivelling this body around to face the door – scratching the bridge of his nose and fixing his pants. Katerina exploded into an eruption of childish laughter, coiling her arms around her stomach and squeezing it as her head fell forward – still the laughter echoed from her mouth.

"What the fuck is so funny?"

Katerina continued to laugh – even if Vaas' voice sounded quite irritated – in fact, she seemed to laugh more. Finally she lifted her head, wiping a tear from her eye with the tip of her finger.

"You finished?"

Katerina silently laughed again, but the laughter quickly perished. "Sorry," she giggled, hiccupping and shuddering her head, "I'm okay now. I don't even know what was funny."

Vaas only looked at here, before opening the door and marching out. Katerina quickly followed, her arms tightly folded over her chest, scurrying behind him like a pup following the pack leader. The sun shined brightly – the beautiful, warm golden ray of light shimmering on her skin. The air was warm – a nice warm – and it embraced Katerina with serenity, hugging her like a cosy blanket. She smiled, closing her eyes, lifting her head, and letting the scorching golden sun glimmer on her neck. Her eyes fluttered open and she glared up into the sky. "Wow!" Katerina gasped, gazing up in wonder at the beauty of the sky. In her eyes she saw explosions of purple, sea blue and gold. It was beautiful – like something from a dream. Had the sky always looked like this? Her eyes wandered to the sun and she gasped again. The sun glowed brightly, glistening like a grand crystal, flicking out rays of orange, gold, and even silver. Never in all of her life had she seen something so magnificent.

"Vaas," she whispered, scurrying up to be closer to him as they walked, "Vaas, look at the sky, and the sun. It's so beautiful."

"You shouldn't look directly in the sun." he barked silently, increasing the speed of his pace.

"But it's so pretty…" Katerina sighed, sulking and glaring at the floor like a child.

Vaas chuckled, his back quaking as he marched through the camp. Vaas and Katerina reached a mossy green gazebo, it was quite large and was packed with wooden tables and metal chairs. Possibly where the pirates came to eat. It reminded Katerina of one of them army films she had watched before – where soldiers would retreat under the gazebos in their camps to eat or take shelter from the bad weather.

There were a few men inside. Katerina stiffened once she saw them, and hid behind Vaas – stepping closer to him, shrouding herself beside his back. They were crammed around a table, with plates filled with food and glass bottles of alcohol beside them. Vaas stood there, glaring at them for a moment – his fierce eyes burning into their skulls. They finally took notice and peered up. Vaas looked at them, and whistled, clicking his head to the direction of where he and Katerina had just came. The pirates jumped from their seats, quickly shovelling in the food and swigging back their drinks. One pirate got up too quickly and his chair fell back, scratching against the ground, so that the pirate fell to the floor – landing on his back with a loud thud. Katerina laughed, pressing her fist against her mouth to stop the laughter from bursting into a frenzy. The pirates he was with stiffened, glaring at Vaas apologetically, kicking their comrade with their boots so that he got up quicker. The fallen pirate scowled at giggling Katerina as he got up, stumbling on his feet. They quickly scuttled out, scurrying away like rats running from water, or a wave, and Vaas was the wave – huge, powerful and dangerous.

"Sit," Vaas ordered, walking past Katerina and trudging towards the back. Katerina smiled and slunk to the small table in the corner – where only two chairs surrounded it – and lunged her body into the chair. She sighed and smashed her arms against the table – probing at the wood, fascinated by the cracks and dints engraved in the table. She was disturbed when Vaas dropped a bowl and a metal spoon in front of her. Vaas lobbed his body into the chair opposite her, resting his arm on the table – swivelling a bullet in his fingertips – and drumming it against the wooden surface.

"Yum," Katerina hummed, glaring up at Vaas – who glared at the table – "what is it?"

"Just eat."

Katerina lifted the spoon and dunked it into the food. Was this supposed to be stew? It was runny, and flooded off the spoon like water. The colour was pale and there was hardly any meat or vegetables in it. Katerina could hear her stomach growling as she glared at the food. Quickly she brought the spoon to her mouth and shovelled the food in. The horrid, overpowering taste of salt flooded her mouth and tongue. It tasted awful but she was starving so continued to quickly shovel the food in her mouth. It tasted like sea water – reminding her of the first day she got here. She remembered looking out to the beach, whilst on the boat, and seeing men on there. She remembered how she realised that the men were a threat and how she screamed at the top of her lungs for everyone to get off the boat. Then there was the roaring red blaze that zoomed towards them and lucky for her, she managed to jump into the sea before the racing flame hit the boat. Eight friends followed. She remembered how the salt water flooded her mouth, rushing down her throat and clawing at her tongue. She hated that day. The day were most of her friends were murdered. The day were she became a prisoner. The day were she knew she would be stuck on this dreaded island forever… maybe die here too.

Vaas watched her, locking his eyes onto her, glaring at her like how a lion watches its pride, or perhaps how a tiger watches prey. Katerina peered up, licking her lips, catching any droplets of the liquid food she had just indulged. "Are you not having any?" she asked, pushing the bowl aside.

"No," he snapped, still playing with his bullet, "tastes like shit."

"Yeah…" Katerina chuckled, stretching her arms across the table, which caught Vaas' attention, "wasn't that nice, if I'm honest. Tasted like salt water."

Vaas chuckled, his shoulders quaking, but his expression was still and opaque. "Not really hungry anyway," he sighed, getting up to fetch a bottle. Katerina watched him, resting her head on the table, with her arms swathed around her head. Vaas trudged back to the chair, unscrewing the bottle and tipping it to his lips. Katerina watched his Adams apple bob up and down as he drank the alcohol as if it was water. It was strong too, she could smell it. He brought it away from his lips and shook his head quickly, blinking slowly as he glared at the table, the bottle still in his hands. He brought the bottle to his lip again and knocked it back. Katerina sat up, glaring at him in amazement. How much of that poison was he willing to take?

"Vaas, can I have some water?" Katerina asked, ruffling her hair with her fingers, chuckling as the hair fell messily over her face, "the food made me thirsty – too salty."

Vaas chuckled, hiccupping once as he laughed silently to himself. Katerina stared in confusion, raising an eyebrow when Vaas pushed his bottle towards her. She laughed soundlessly, beaming as she glared at the bottle. "Erm," she mumbled, poking the bottle with her index finger, "thanks, but I asked for water."

"Just drink that." he snapped – his words were slurred slightly. He wasn't drunk was he?

Katerina shrugged and took the bottle in her hand, hovering the glass bottle beside her mouth, watching the droplets of clear alcohol trickle down the side of the cold glass. She lifted the bottle and shook it, "only live once, eh?" she laughed, bringing the bottle to her lips and sipping the liquid. She gaged at first, as it was so strong. Never had she tasted alcohol like this. Vaas laughed at her expression. She took another long swig but eventually shook her head and pushed the bottle back to him, not being able to have anymore.

"Ow!" she snapped, coughing against the back of her hand, "that fucking burns. It burns you throat when you swallow it…"

Vaas chuckled, picking up the bottle and drinking some more. Katerina continued, her voice slightly slurred, "what the… the fuck is that anyway? I… I hardly drank any and..."

"You drank enough."

"Quite nice actually…"

"Sure."

"Vaas?"

"What?"

"Why did you kill him?"

"Who?"

"That man… the one who nearly…"

"He touched my things." He replied sharply, jumping up from his chair, brushing his fingertips through his ebony Mohawk, "never liked the motherfucker anyway."

"But why…"

"What! Did you want me to leave him? Did you fuckin' want that to happen, eh?" He voice was incensed, and his body tensed – with the veins pulsating in his neck.

Katerina stood up, standing in front of him and glaring up to look at him as he shadowed her. "No!" she protested, "why would I? I was glad you… knifed the fucker."

Vaas laughed at that, raising his eyebrow as he chuckled, "really?"

"Yep. He got what he deserved."

"Did he?"

"Most definitely."

"Most definitely?" He was teasing her. Stretching out his words as his voice bounced with jest and amusement.

She grinned playfully, arching her eyebrows over her eyes. She stood on her tip-toes and stretched out her neck, whispering "I hope you're not mocking me."

"Is that a threat?"

"Maybe. I don't like being mocked. You know, two can play at this game."

"Game?"

"Yep."

"Are we playing games now?"

"You tell me."

He laughed, grasping onto her chin, "you're treading on thin ice amada."

"Well you hope I don't drag you with me when I fall in."

"Is this the alcohol and drugs talking? Or you?"

"Oh no. No… this is all me. I guess I've just… relaxed."

He let go of her chin and eyed her, his eyes scanning her. He chuckled to himself. He sighed, running his hand over his face and pointed behind her, "Get that bag." He ordered, pointing towards a small black pack back that had been chucked in the corner. Katerina stared at it and Vaas raised an eyebrow, annoyed that she hadn't moved. "Well go on," he barked, "get it. Fetch!"

"I'm not your pet!" Katerina teased, flicking her hair off her shoulder.

"Yes you fuckin' are. Remember, I own you. So," he smiled, with a fiendish manner and grasped her chin, rolling his tongue, his voice high and melodic – mocking her, he hummed, "fetch that for me please."

He snapped his finger and shoved her towards the bag, pushing her by the shoulder. Katerina chuckled, sticking out her tongue as she lazily plodded to the back-pack, scooping it up and swinging it over her shoulder. "Since you said please," she teased back, pouting her lips and lifting up her head.

Vaas chuckled and turned around, "this way."

Katerina sighed, placing the back-pack through her shoulder and gripping onto the straps. She kicked her feet and rushed after him. He headed to the back of the camp – where the forest began; where the trees and bushes grew wildly. Was this where the camp ended? Where was he taking her?

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**O.o Looks like Katerina finally got something to eat. Please tell me what you thought of this one with a comment/review. Thank you! (^.^)**


	18. Chapter Eighteen - Bliss

**Hi, i'm back with another chapter. This one is longer than usual but don't worry i'm sure you will find it interesting. The support i'm getting for this FanFic so far is amazing, so thank you so much for that. You're all amazing! Enjoy~**

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Vaas stopped beside a small wooden gate, resting his palm on the wood as he looked back at Katerina, who glanced around her, shuffling her feet across the ground, shivers going up her spine from trepidation. Why had Vaas brought her here? It was darker back here. The shack in front of them shrouded them in darkness, and the towering trees and jungle plants on the other side of the fence blocked most light. What was he doing? Katerina scanned around her, her fingers tightly coiling around the straps of her back-pack. Vaas exhaled loudly, and patted the fence. Then, with one arm, he hoisted himself up and leaped over the fence so that he stood in the jungle.

"Come here," he ordered, resting her elbows on the fence, waiting for Katerina to scurry towards him.

"Where are we going?" she asked, slowly putting one foot in front of the other, and checking around her as she anxiously treaded closer.

"Just come here amada."

Amada. It was the new nickname he had begun using. Amada. Katerina had no idea what it meant, but for some reason it was more appealing than Chica– a name he had previously used, and hardly ever used now.

Still clutching onto the straps of her bag, she skipped her feet and rushed over to Vaas.

"Can you climb over?" he asked, scanning her with his warm, brown eyes.

"No, I'll climb through."

Vaas chuckled and stepped back, observing as Katerina squeezed her petite body through the gaps in the fence. She jumped up in front of him, flicking the hair from her face. She grinned and sighed, blowing a strand of her hair out of her face. Vaas reached his hand up beside her face and pushed the strand behind her ear. She smiled, _never had his touch felt so warm._

"Vamos amada!" he suddenly called, marching through the bushes and the twisting vines that swathed around high lush trees. Katerina gnawed at her inner cheek and clumsily followed. Tripping over tree roots that had burst from the soil and stumbling over her feet when treading on the uneven ground. Her eyes were glued to the floor, examining the ground before she risked trampling her foot there – she was bare foot after all.

"Katerina, can you go any fucking slower?"

"Erm, I have no shoes you know!" Katerina grumbled, treading carefully and slowly. Trampling on her tip-toes, using the trees to balance her.

"For fuck's sake!" Vaas snapped, turning around and pacing towards her. He stopped a few yards in front of her, leaning against a tree. "You're taking the fuckin' piss." He grunted, surveying her with his arms tightly folded across his torso.

"I don't want to step on a thorn!"

"A thorn?"

"Yes. Or a poisonous vine or plant, something like that."

"Kat. There aren't any poisonous vines or plants."

"Poisonous frog then! What if I get bit by a snake?"

"That's poisonous?"

Katerina stopped and scowled at him, Vaas beamed and chuckled. "Oh, shut up!" Katerina yapped, scrunching her nose and squinting her eyes. Vaas raised his eyebrow and stepped forwards, perching over Katerina, who nearly plummeted to the floor with fright.

"Don't you be telling me what to do. Remember I'm still the fuckin' boss here. You do what I fuckin' say, not the other way round, okay chica?"

"Okay."

For a moment Vaas had scared her. She had forgotten who she was talking to, this was the man that killed her friends and… hurt her. Who's to say he won't do it again?

Katerina glanced back down and stretched out her foot to take another step, but the foot never touched the ground. Suddenly she was thrown into the air, swinging side to side above the ground, gliding through the gaps in the trees as if she was flying. Was she flying? She grinned, she was flying. Soaring like an eagle – well… a very slow eagle that wanted to stay very close to ground. It was then was she realised that she wasn't flying, something entirely different. Vaas had scooped her up with one arm and had thrown her other his shoulder. Her body hung over his shoulder, her legs and knees crashing softly against his chest and stomach, and her head knocking against his back – until she lifted it so that it was beside his neck.

"What the fuck? Vaas what are you doing?" Katerina gasped, gripping tightly onto his shoulders, due to the fear of being dropped suddenly.

"Shh, you were being too fuckin' slow. This is much quicker."

He snickered, the vibrations of his quaking shoulder and chest trembled up Katerina's body – giving her chills. "Besides," he chuckled, tossing her in the air slightly, so that she bobbed up and down like a doll, her body thrashing against his, "don't want you stepping on a poisonous plant now, do I?"

Katerina scowled. She want to punch him – right in the back - or knee him in the chest. Why did he have to keep teasing her like he did? Mocking her, belittling her as if she was a child. The insane part was that she actually found it quite amusing herself. It was a dramatic change from the threats and snaps he was normally projecting. This was normal behaviour. Vaas was being normal. Was that possible?

"Where are we going? Why have we gone out the camp?"

"You'll see in a minute. Don't be so fuckin' impatient."

After more walking, they at last reached their destination. Vaas stopped, and dropped Katerina, allowing her to clumsily slide off his shoulder. She was expecting a rush of pain for when she hit the floor but instead she landed on something soft. A soft, gentle bed of lush green grass. It was as soft and as snug as a carpet. It didn't even feel like grass. Where was she?

She took in the smell first. It was gorgeous. The fresh, mint scent of rural grass flew gracefully into her nose, and the sweet aroma of possible flowers swamped her and made her slip a moan of pleasure. She opened her eyes and was greeted with the glistening golden ray of light from the burning sun that was so bright and serene that she could almost smell the golden beams. She was in an open area, and the trees surrounded it like gates, or a cage. Though, in no way did she feel trapped here. It was open. It was soothing and serene. Opposite her was a lake, no… a pool? Blue water flowed into the small jungle pool from the trivial scenic waterfall beside it, and it glistened in the sunlight like white glitter. It was beautiful. When she closed her eyes she could hear the tranquil sound of ripples flowing in the water. It reminded her of her favourite restaurant back home. She had been there a couple of times with family, friends or even significant others. The food there was always delicious and cooked to perfection but the interior design there was magnificent – her favourite object being the stunning water fountain that was planted in the centre of the restaurant. She hadn't thought of home until now? Why? Shouldn't it have been toying on her mind constantly? It wasn't. Was that so wrong?

"Wow, this is beautiful," Katerina whispered, looking up to Vaas, curling the grass in her fingers. "Vaas, why did you bring me here?"

Vaas plummeted to the ground, collapsing to the floor, dragging his hand down his face in exhaustion. Sitting up, he pointed to the pool and grunted, "Thought that you would want to wash up, especially after almost bleeding to death before."

Katerina scowled at him – he was mocking her again. Though this time she shook it off and smiled, inhaling the serene, pleasant perfume that soared through the air.

Vaas collapsed onto his back, and pinched the bridge of his nose, "you'll find the shit you need in the bag."

Katerina looked at him, then to the pool. She smiled and hauled the bag off her back. She opened it quickly and beamed. Inside was a clean towel, – it was actually clean – tooth paste and a tooth brush, a black comb, and a bar of soap. She took out the tooth brush and glimpsed at Vaas. "Erm Vaas?" she murmured "is…"

"No, the toothbrush hasn't been used." He snapped, silencing her "Just get in the pool Kat."

Katerina sighed, and snatched the toiletries and the towel – that was already rolled – and scurried to the pool – placing the things beside it. She glanced at Vaas before unbuttoning her shorts and sliding them off her body. She moved quickly, not wanting Vaas to suddenly sit up and stare at her with nothing on.

She kicked off her lace underwear and stepped gracefully into the pool – after unwrapping the fabric from around her feet. She moaned once the water embraced her. To her surprise it was warm, and reminded her of a hot, serene bath. She wished she had a book to read, or some fragrance to dissolve in the water. She swam in the water a few times before snatching the soap. It felt angelic. She didn't realise how much she yearned to wash her hair and body. At last she could wash the salt and dirt off her body and out of her ragged hair.

She swam towards the edge and pressed her chest against the rock wall, resting her elbows and arms outside of the pool. Vaas still lied on his back. She watched his chest rise and fall. Was he asleep? She didn't want to find out, so she left him, reaching for the toothbrush and toothpaste. She had almost forgot the taste of mint. Never in all her life had she felt so grateful and blessed. Her hair was tangled like trees vines, and it was a mission to get the knots out with the comb. After that she rested her head against the rocky wall, and let the warm water surround her, massaging her muscles and making her eyes fall heavy.

When Katerina opened her eyes, she smiled but then her golden orbs widened, as if she had seen a ghost. She screamed, wrapping her arms around her chest and drawing her knees up to try and hide her womanhood. Her body swivelled around in the water, and she quickly pressed her body against the wall. "Vaas what the fuck!" she shrieked, trying to conceal her body with her arms, legs and the wall. She could feel her face glowing red from embarrassment and ire.

Vaas crouched beside the pool opposite her, tilting his head and growling with desire. His eyes were fierce, and were growing with hunger. He tutted, and hummed "amada, why conceal yourself?"

"Can I not bathe without being watched?" she shrieked, her voice crackled as she continued "please! Fucking hell!"

"You weren't bathing."

"Vaas."

He laughed, standing up, coiling his fingers around his top and hauling it from his body. Katerina's eyes widened as he hurled his top onto the floor. His fingers began unbuttoning his pants.

"What are you doing?" Katerina shrieked, ramming her body against the rocky wall.

"I'm getting in the pool."

Katerina looked away, biting at her bottom lip. The ripples of waters brushing against her skin sent shivers up her spine. She heard him sigh loudly and looked to see him on the other side, opposite her, relaxing in the water with his head resting on the wall.

"Vaas."

"Yes."

"Am I going to get out, or are you?"

Vaas chuckled, "amada, don't fuckin' piss me off."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"You're a fucking psycho Vaas!"

"Kat!"

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"Kat! I will fuckin' drown you if you continue."

"Fuck off Vaas!"

His head snapped up, his eyes burning with rage. Quickly he rushed over to her; Katerina stiffened and gnawed anxiously at her inner cheek.

"You really want to fuckin' piss me off don't you!" he voice was loud and incensed. Was he really going to drown her?

"Vaas." She said calmly.

"What!" he roared, his face nearly touching hers.

Katerina whipped her head around and grasped his jaw with her palm. She didn't know why it happened, but suddenly she stretched out her neck and collided her lips with his. She kissed him. Vaas stood in shock for a second but quickly turned the kiss into something more, fisting a clump of her hair and tugging her towards him, so that their bodies brushed against each other. His tongue forced its way into her mouth, but she welcome it – letting her and Vaas' tongue dance in her mouth, indulging the sweet arousing taste of him.

Katerina brought up her hand and grasped the back of his neck, running her fingers up to his Mohawk and brushing her fingertips through his hair as they continued to vigorously kiss each other. Feeling daring she grasped onto his hair strands and tugged at them, harmonising with the rhythm of their kisses. To her pleasure, a small grunt escaped his lips, in which he became more forceful and rough with his actions. His lips left hers and instead trailed down her jawline and neck, his tongue brushing against her skin as he moved his head further down, stopping at her collarbone. She couldn't help but slip a moan. Vaas already had her gasping for breath, her body trembling and her heart racing – ready to burst from her chest. Vaas chuckled between his erotic coarse kissing, alternating between rough, sensual kisses and gentle nipping across her neck and chest – leaving tender love marks on her body. _What the fuck am I doing?_ Katerina thought to herself as the man she once labelled as a monster, vigorously kissed her. _What the fuck am I doing? Kat what are you doing? What drove me to do this? Fuck!_

Katerina moaned in pleasure as Vaas grabbed hungrily at her body, playing with her breast with one hand and squeezing her ass with the other – lifting her through the water, and sending an impulse of shivers to travel up her spine. His head was back at her neck, licking and nipping at her ear lobe, with his hands brushing up her back and across her waist. Katerina kissed his shoulder, clawing at his back and stroking her leg up his. She could feel the vibrations in his chest and hear the low growl rumble in his throat as she caressed his skin. She met his eyes with hers for a moment, just before his head darted to her breast, where he licked and sucked at her nipple, kissing her viciously but sensually around her chest. The fervour of his kissing matched the insane ravenous hunger and desire in his eyes. She almost laughed as Vaas continued to kiss her, but the only sounds that escaped her lips were moans and whimpers of desire. He was toying with her. Fuck! She knew it too.

Her leg brushed up to his thigh, and her breath hit his neck. She smiled at the low growls that echoed from his lips, and he even smashed her body against the wall in retaliation. She grinned again, biting on her lip, brushing her leg up his thigh again and trailing her fingertips down his chest. He growled, grabbing her thighs and smashing her against the rocky wall of the pool – though not hard enough to hurt her. She pecked his jawline and trailed her hands down further. Her grunted, swallowing his groans. She now toyed with him. Letting slip another grunt he quickly seized her wrists and pinned them above her head. "Fuck you," he groaned, whispering in her ear, sending shivers through her body as he abruptly grasped her legs and hauled himself inside of her in one deep thrust that made a whimper of sweet pain glide from her lips. _Fuck!_ She thought as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her body yearning for more. _Fuck this isn't right! Why the fuck am I doing this? Fuck! It feels so good! He feels so good! Fuck! _

Katerina forced her lips onto his, nibbling, and tugging at his bottom lip as she rocked her body into him. Vaas chuckled into her mouth, placing his hand on her back, pulling himself out and thrusting back in, sending a wave of pure bliss to tremor through Katerina's body. Her hand grasped harshly at his neck, with her leg playfully coiling around his body as she rocked her body rhythmically with him, enhancing the pleasure that flowed through their bodies.

Water droplets trickled down the skin of their steaming bodies, and dribbled down their faces from their damp hair. Vaas broke their kiss, resting his forehead on Katerina's forehead as he increased his pace and pressure of each thrust. Katerina rocked her body also, her forehead rubbing against his as she rocked her body up and down, clawing at his back and shoulders. Each thrust he made triggered a grunt from him and a gasp from her, and more and more of Katerina's body screamed as he went on. Vaas knew he had her as she clutched onto his shoulders, arching her back, gasping breathlessly into his ear, and moaning into the air. The pinpoint of pleasure expanded and exploded in her body, in which she howled with pleasure, raking her fingertips through his hair – with water droplets sprinkling in the air.

This only turned him on more; increasing his hunger, in which he kept going, furiously rocking her body rhythmically, with his lips buried into her neck. It didn't take long for his growls to grow in his chest, rumbling ferociously in his throat as he continued to fervently rock into her - feeding his insane hunger. His hand raked down her back and his mouth opened with a slight grunt and gasp. She continued to tenderly peck at his neck and jaw as he gave one final thrust, with his back arching.

He stayed for a little while, both Vaas and Katerina gasping and panting for breath – grateful of the water that slightly cooled their steaming bodies – until he pulled out of her, sending the final shivers up her body. Straight away he hauled himself of out of the pool, grasping the towel and wrapping it around his waist before collapsing to the floor. Katerina was thankful that the water was shallow, or she may have drowned. She looked over to him, watching his chest rise and fall, as she raked her fingertips through her hair. What the fuck had she just done?

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**O.o What did you think of this one? Please, tell me in the comments - I really want to know what you thought of this chapter. Keep the reviews, views, follows, and favs coming. Love you all, you're all awesome! ~ but you already know that, don' t you? Keep reading! (^.^) Thank you! x**


	19. Chapter Nineteen - If it's Okay

**Okay, first I want to thank you guys. I have had just under 3,000 views in one month and to me that is amazing! I mean, the month hasn't even ended yet! WOW! I'm amazed. Thank you so so so much! You have no idea how much this means to me. When I saw that kind of number, I literally squealed, while bouncing up and down on my bed, so thank you so much for that! ****  
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**You're all great! And I love reading your reviews as well, so keep them coming! (^.^) Thank you! And thank you to everyone who as gave this story a follow and favorite. It's amazing to see, thank you! x**

**Okay, I'll stop babbling now, and let you read. Enjoy!**

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_It's wrong. _Katerina thought as she gnawed at her inner cheek, letting the water surround her body._ Wrong that I feel this satisfied, wrong that I feel this blissful. It is insane that I feel the way I do – locked away in another world. I was certain that I had seen stars glistening in the water before, as my mind nearly exploded from the intense amount of roaring fiery hot pleasure that flowed through my body. Why the fuck did I do that? What the fuck made me do that? Why did I suddenly decide to grab his jaw and ram my lips into his? I had just screwed the person that kidnapped me! The man that killed my friends! The erotic, prevailing, perilous psychopath! I fucked him! Fuck! Why did I do that? Kat, what was you thinking? Why did I do that? The drugs, maybe I could blame the oxy – forty milligrams was enough to make you do some weird shit, right? Or the alcohol – people do a lot of crazy shit when their drunk, so it had to be that. Of course it was that. Why else would I have done that?_

The water's temperature had risen and steam had begun to evaporate from the surface. The water felt very similar to a boiling hot bath and embraced Katerina making her skin drip with sweat. She wiped the sweat from her brown and brushed the wet hair from her face. _Defiant bastard!_ Katerina thought, as she went to reach for the towel – that wasn't there._ Does really expect me to saunter out of here, dripping with water with no towel? _

Gripping onto the edge of the pool Katerina looked out towards her capturer. She quarried her fingernails into the rough rocks embedded in the hard ground and hollered to the pirate the lay in the grass. "Vaas?"

Vaas lay in a bed of lush grass with his robust arms above his head. His eyes were closed. Was he sleeping? "Yes." He finally replied in a jovial melodic manner.

"Can I have the towel?"

"The towel?"

"Yes. Please, can you hand it to me?"

"Come and get it." He teased with a playful sneer.

Katerina crinkled her nosed and frowned like a child. No! No way was she getting out of here until he had handed her the towel. She sighed and grinded her teeth with irritation. Vaas began to chuckle, as if he sensed her annoyance. "I think," Katerina goaded as she rolled her eyes, her voice shaking with aggravation, "that you should just bring it to me."

"And I think you should get off your ass and come and get it amada."

"Vaas."

"Kat."

"Give me the towel."

"Sorry…" Vaas chuckled, stretching his arms and exhaling loudly, raking his fingertips through his damp hair, "I'm afraid I'm occupied amada."

"Vaas!"

"Shhh. You're disturbing the silence. Can you here the waves from the beach?"

"Vaas."

"If you want it so badly, come and get it amada." He teased, rolling his tongue and stretching out his words.

Katerina scowled, glaring into the water. As she studied the water ripples she could see something. Herself - her reflection. She grimaced at the sight, gasping and lifting her hand to touch her face. Her cheek was a purple colour and the bridge of her nose was purple too, and she had an unsightly red mark on her forehead. Her lip looked chillingly painful. Why couldn't she feel the pain? Oh right… the oxy. She had forgot about that.

"You know," Vaas grunted, his head now resting on his arms that were stationed above his head, "if you stay in the water for too long you will shrivel up."

"I'm not getting out."

"Well," he sat up now, leaning on his elbow as he glanced at her, running his hand down his face, "you can't stay there forever amada. You have to come out."

"Give me the towel then!"

Vaas chuckled, running his hand across the back of his neck, snapping off the sweat that clung to his skin. "You're so stubborn."

Katerina beamed, pressing her body up against the wall, "I know," she yapped, racing her tongue across her teeth. "Give me the towel."

Vaas snickered, his voice bouncing up and down as the laughter echoed from his lips. "I can be stubborn too you know." He tittered, "come and get it." He laughed again, the laughter was almost chaotic. Perhaps Katerina had become used to it by now, as it did nothing to her. "Looks like were playing games again amada."

"Didn't take you for the playful type."

"You don't know me very well then."

"Dido."

"Dido? Ha!"

"Well, you don't know me very well either amigo."

"Amgio?" His chest quaked from his discreet laughter.

"Towel. Please."

"We can do this all day you know, and I'm sure you're getting cold. Come and get it."

She wasn't cold yet but the psychopath had a point – they could banter like this all day, and it was unlikely that Vaas was ever going to give up. Katerina didn't want to either, but she couldn't keep at this all day.

She sighed. Vaas smiled from her gesture of surrender. "Fine," she mumbled, frowning and studying the water, "but… can you look away?"

Vaas laughed, proud of his victory and amused of her defeat. "Why?" he asked, rolling his tongue. His voice bounced with hilarity. Katerina scowled and mused to herself _could he be any more annoying? He didn't have to rub it in my face. Persistent, devious bastard._

"Huh? Asked you a question amada…" Vaas continued – Katerina had forgot he asked her anything. "I said, why? You embarrassed, eh?"

"I…I just… it's just that… I don't… Vaas…"

"Okay, okay!" he chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender, "okay, I'll look away, okay?"

Vaas got up, his back quaking from his chuckles. He dropped the towel beside his feet and sauntered over to his clothes – keeping his eyes away from Katerina's view. Katerina couldn't help but quickly and discreetly snap a peek at his body. _Fuck!_ She thought, as she swiftly scrambled out of the pool, rushing towards the towel, _fuck that body! _ _Fuckin' hell why does he have to look so fuckin' erotic?_ _He even has muscles in his back and his… no! Katerina stop and shut up! Towel. Focus on the towel. Only the towel._

Vaas glanced over to her as he slipped on his jeans. His tongue skimmed his lips as her discreetly eyed her luscious bare body. He shook his head and turned around, adjusting himself in his pants before zipping up his fly.

Katerina wrapped the towel around her body. Her hair flowed down her back like a curtain, and dripped onto the floor. She glanced over her shoulder to see what Vaas was doing. He crouched and fastened his shoes. Katerina twisted her foot into the ground as she watched – she jumped once he peered up. She heard the thud of his boots as he ambled towards her and she shivered to the gentle touch of his hand on her neck, and trembled when his finger trailed through her hair.

"You need a haircut." He snorted, curling her wet hair in his fingers as he stood behind her.

"How short? I still like it long."

Vaas chuckled, brushing his fingertips down her arm. Katerina gnawed at her inner cheek as his hand trailed down her skin that trickled with water. "Get dry," Vaas ordered, his voice a bit more stern which awoke Katerina from her trance. She suddenly felt the chill of the breeze, and shuddered – Goosebumps emerging on her bare skin. "I have brought clothes for you, they fell out the towel. They're beside the pool."

"Oh…I'm going to wash my other clothes. Is that okay?"

"Fine. You can wear what I brought you for now."

"Okay. Thanks."

Katerina turned around but Vaas was already away from her, pacing up and down with a cigar in his lips – bringing a blaze to his mouth to light his cigar. Katerina quickly dried herself off and skipped over to the clothes Vaas had brought her. He had brought her a pair of green, cargo pants – hopefully they wouldn't be too big, and she was thankful that they looked clean – and a grey vest top – which was a women's vest top, but again clean. Where did he get that? She didn't want to know.

She slipped on her new clothes – the pants were a small size so they fitted her fine and she was appreciative of that – and bent down to the water and began washing her clothes. She scrubbed the clothes together in the water – adding soap – and every often she would peer up to see what Vaas was doing. Currently he lay in the sun, blowing on his cigar, lying on his back and looking up to the sky.

"Done!" Katerina exclaimed with jest, standing beside Vaas with her arms folded, "Stuff is in the bag, so I'm ready to go… if you're waiting. Have places to go?"

"Whatever. Sure."

"Vaas?"

"What?"

"I was just wondering…" Her voice fell quiet as she tunnelled her nails into her arm, scratching anxiously at her skin, "could you… if it's okay… when you can…"

"Just spit it out Kat."

"Take me to the beach?"

She hadn't been to the beach since the day she arrived here, and that wasn't a pleasant day. Her imagery of the beach will be forever tainted unless she saw the true beauty of it. She could only ask, right? It was unlikely that she would ever be able to go on her own. She would most likely never leave the confined embrace of these barbaric pirates - of Vaas.

"The beach?"

Katerina nodded, barring her lip together as she waited, intently listening out for an answer.

"Sure."

"Really?" Katerina almost screamed with excitement and Vaas cocked an eyebrow at her. She shuffled gleefully on her feet, she didn't expect him to say yes. The beach! She could almost smell the ocean and hear the crashing of the blue waves.

Vaas chuckled, jumping to his feet and flicking the burnt cigar from his fingertips. "You need to fix your wounds first," Vaas sighed, pointing to Katerina's cut feet.

"I… I don't have anything."

"Use the towel."

Vaas gave a playful grin as he dashed over to the towel and snatched it from the floor with one hand. With his knife – that he had in a sheath attached to his pants – he cut several thin pieces of the towel and strolled over to Katerina, clutching onto the fabric in his left hand.

"Sit." He ordered, already crouching down in front of her. She politely obeyed, and fell awkwardly to the floor, lifting her feet slightly off the ground. Vaas seized her foot, rubbing the soles of her feet gently with his thumb. Katerina couldn't help but slip a small smile as he swathed the fabric around her foot, concealing her wounds. "They look better," he exclaimed as he dropped her other foot, "and your face should heal pretty quickly. You'll be bran' spanking new in no time!"

He gave another grin and stood up, hauling Katerina up as he rose. Katerina stumbled over her feet, and knocked into his chest. With a chuckle echoing from his lips, Vaas wrapped his arm securely around her waist and tugged her forward so that they ventured further into the jungle.

It only took a few minutes for Vaas and Katerina to reach the beach. It was a small beach and again was secluded – hidden by the forest that stood behind it. Vaas gave Katerina a nudge, and pushed her lightly on her back so that she hobbled forwards onto the sand. She smiled, and spread her toes through the soft warm sand that flowed over her toes like water. The rivers of warm yellow sand seemed to be endless – even if the beach itself was quite small. Warm golden light dappled across the calm ocean and made it shimmer. It was the clearest, most gorgeous ocean Katerina had ever laid eyes on. Never had she seen the sea so blue. It was beautiful.

A group of gulls squawked nearby, flicking broken shells and clumps of sand in the air before opening their long wings to flap away whilst screaming at one another. The serene echo of water waves softy crashing against the rocks made Katerina beam with glee. She looked ahead, watching as the sea lapped tenderly at the sand, embracing the sand like a warm, serene blanket that covers you in bed.

Her legs dragged Katerina away, as she hypnotically treaded through the sand, venturing further into the beach. She stopped in the centre (and by this time Vaas had caught up with her, and stood beside her with his hands buried in his pockets) where golden beams shined and flecked the sand like an adoring mother kissing her child. She fell to her knees, then sat. Moaning silently as her body burrowed into the bed of sand.

Vaas lay beside her, shutting his eyes as he basked in the sun. Katerina, fell to her stomach, kicking her legs in the air in delight, as she played with a sea shell that was buried in the sand – tracing her thumb across the spiralling pattern engraved in it. She sighed, chucking the sea shell behind her and rested her head on Vaas' chest, feeling it rise and fall – with her curling hair folding over her face like a drapery.

"Come in the sea with me!" Katerina suddenly shrieked excitedly, flicking the hair from her face as she sat up to look at him.

"No."

"Aww," Katerina whined, like a child as she kneeled, brushing the sand from her stomach "you're no fun. Suit yourself, I'm going."

Katerina went to stand but Vaas snatched her wrist and hauled her back down, his eyes now open. Katerina gasped and collapsed onto his chest, her hair falling beside his face like an archway of blinds. "Stay here." His tone of voice was supposed to be cold and stern – like a vicious warning – but instead glided from his lips like a poem, in which Katerina smiled and whispered, "Okay," leaning her head to his to tenderly kiss him on the lips. Vaas reached up his hand and grasped the back of her head, cupping her skull with his palm as he slowly flipped her around so that he laid on top of her. Katerina pulled away, pursing her lips and scowling as she grumbled, "I'm going to get sand in my hair!"

"I don't give a fuck!"

He chuckled and brushed his lips against hers, running his hands down her waist and legs as she clutched onto his neck, racing her tongue across his tongue and teeth. His hand ran back up her body, his fingertips brushing under her top and up to her breast, where he squeezed it as he flecked her with tender kissed across her lips, jaw and neck.

A rustle in the nearby bushes made the birds fly up into the sky quickly. Katerina paid no attention, pecking at Vaas' neck. Vaas broke their kiss and peered up. He quickly clutched onto his gun jumped up, tugging Katerina with him and chucking her behind him, so that his body shielded her. He clicked back his gun and held it against his head as he inspected the bushes and trees in the jungle. Katerina gulped and trembled with uncertainty, clutching tightly onto Vaas' arm and hiding behind his back.

* * *

**O.o *suspense music plays here* What do you think of this chapter? Leave a comment and tell me! You're all awesome and make writing this even more fun and rewarding for me, thanks! Keep reading! Love you all! (^.^)**


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